Semiconductor stocks generally move together in tandem with the cyclical nature of the business. But 2024 is an exception to that, with five AI data center highfliers offset by the poor performance of the rest.

Both stocks have had strong runs in 2024. Let's consider which semiconductor looks like the better buy heading into 2025.

Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:AVGO) stock surged Friday after it reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter adjusted EPS results and raised its quarterly common stock dividend. The company reported a topline of $14.

Nvidia is one of the most popular AI stocks right now because of its lead in the semiconductor space. The company's graphics processing units (GPUs) have been used in data centers for years, and once tech giants began competing for generative AI dominance, the chips were even more in demand.

Broadcom announced their quarterly earnings to the delight of investors who bid shares almost 40% higher. Broadcom beat analyst expectations for earnings per share by $0.03. The company’s earnings per share results were $1.

Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) has been an outstanding investment over the past three years, as shares of the semiconductor giant have shot up an impressive 240% during this time and outpaced the 27% gains clocked by the PHLX Semiconductor Sector index over the same period.