Nvidia (NVDA.O) briefly surged to a market capitalization of $3.92 trillion on Thursday, putting it on track to become the most valuable company ever, fueled by Wall Street’s strong optimism around artificial intelligence (AI).
Key Highlights
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Nvidia’s shares rose as much as 2.4% to $160.98, surpassing Apple’s record closing market cap of $3.915 trillion set on December 26, 2024.
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At the time of the latest update, shares were up 1.5% at $159.60, with a market cap just under Apple’s record, at $3.89 trillion.
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Nvidia’s AI-focused chips are in high demand for training large AI models, driving significant growth for the Santa Clara-based company.
Market Context
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Microsoft holds the second spot in market value at $3.7 trillion, with shares rising 1.7% to $499.56.
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Apple sits third with a market cap of $3.19 trillion after a 0.8% increase.
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Other tech giants racing to build AI data centers and dominate AI include Amazon, Meta, Alphabet, and Tesla, all fueling demand for Nvidia’s high-end processors.
Industry and Stock Insights
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Joe Saluzzi, co-manager at Themis Trading, remarked on the incredible scale of market valuations, noting the AI-driven surge pushing companies into multi-trillion-dollar territory.
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Nvidia’s valuation has nearly octupled in four years, from $500 billion in 2021 to almost $4 trillion.
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The company’s value now exceeds the combined stock markets of Canada and Mexico and all publicly listed companies in the UK.
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Nvidia trades at about 32 times analysts’ forward earnings—below its five-year average of 41—reflecting growing earnings estimates outpacing stock gains.
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The stock has rebounded over 68% since early April lows caused by trade uncertainty.
Broader Impact
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Nvidia’s growth underscores Wall Street’s massive bets on generative AI technologies, as its hardware forms the backbone of many AI systems.
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Nvidia now makes up 7% of the S&P 500 index; combined with Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, and Alphabet, these five tech giants constitute 28% of the index.
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Despite optimism, some experts like Kim Forrest of Bokeh Capital Partners caution that current AI models might not fully live up to the hype.
Company Background
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Founded in 1993 by CEO Jensen Huang, Nvidia evolved from a niche graphics chipmaker to a leading AI technology company.
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The company replaced Intel on the Dow Jones Industrial Average last November, marking a significant industry shift toward AI-focused semiconductor development.