Rising demand from several industries and a global supply shortage have been driving up semiconductor prices. As a result, we think major industry players Advanced Micro (AMD) and Qualcomm (QCOM) should benefit significantly in the near- to mid-term. But which of these two stocks is a better buy now? Let’s find out.Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) and QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) are two established companies in the semiconductor industry. AMD develops computing and visualization products. It offers x86 microprocessors as standalone devices or incorporated into an accelerated processing unit (APU), chipsets, and in discrete and integrated graphics processing units (GPUs). QCOM develops and commercializes wireless industry technologies. It is organized into three segments: Qualcomm CDMA Technologies, Qualcomm Technology Licensing, and Qualcomm Strategic Initiatives.
An exponential increase in demand and limited supply are driving up prices for semiconductors. The demand is increasing primarily from the electronics and automotive sectors. This, combined with the huge government and private investments to increase the supply of semiconductors, should drive the industry’s growth.
Investors’ growing interest in this space is evident in iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF’s (SOXX) 70.5% returns over the past year. According to Fortune Business Insights, the global semiconductor market is expected to grow at an 8.6% CAGR between 2021 - 2028. So, AMD and QCOM are expected to benefit significantly in the coming months.