2 Super Semiconductor Stocks to Buy Hand Over Fist in 2026

The semiconductor industry is at the heart of the artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. Without advanced data center chips and components, developers like OpenAI wouldn't have enough computing capacity to run their most powerful AI models.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang believes data center operators could spend up to $4 trillion annually to upgrade their infrastructure to meet demand from AI developers by 2030. His company's graphics processing units (GPUs) for data centers are the best chips in the industry for AI workloads, but other suppliers of chips and components could also capture a slice of this spending boom.

Corning (NYSE: GLW) and Micron Technology (NASDAQ: MU) are two of those companies. Here's why investors might want to buy a few shares in each of them for 2026.

Image source: Getty Images.

The case for Corning

Corning has manufactured the glass for Apple's iPhone since 2007, but its stock has surged by 83% this year for a different reason. The company supplies some of the world's best fiber optic cables, which can transmit data at significantly faster speeds and over much longer distances than traditional copper cables. They are currently in high demand from data center operators who are trying to extract faster processing speeds and lower costs from their AI infrastructure.

The AI hardware stack is complex. A single Nvidia Blackwell NV-Link data center node contains 72 graphics processing units (GPUs) with approximately 2 miles of copper cables, but Corning says that operators are quickly transitioning to fiber optics instead. Plus, more cabling is needed as the size of each node scales up to hundreds of GPUs, so Corning CEO Wendell Weeks believes that the opportunity in this space could double or even triple in size over the long term.

Corning generated $4.27 billion in total revenue during the third quarter of 2025 (ended Sept. 30), which was up 14% year over year. Its optical communications segment accounted for $1.65 billion of that revenue, growing by 33% year over year. But it gets better, because the enterprise portion of the optical communications segment experienced an eye-popping 58% growth thanks to strong AI-related demand.

The optical communications segment also delivered $295 million in net income during Q3, soaring by 69% year over year. It accounted for more than half of Corning's total profit of $585 million, which highlights how important AI has become for the company.

Based on Corning's adjusted (non-GAAP) trailing 12-month earnings of $2.38 per share, its stock is trading at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 35.9, making it far cheaper than AI chip giants like Nvidia (P/E ratio of 45.2) and Advanced Micro Devices (P/E ratio of 57.9). In other words, Corning stock is heading into 2026 at a relatively attractive valuation, which could set the stage for upside.

The case for Micron Technology

Micron is one of the world's top suppliers of memory and storage chips. For AI workloads in the data center, high-bandwidth memory (HBM) stores information in a ready state for when the GPU needs it, which accelerates processing speeds. A low memory capacity can cause bottlenecks by forcing the GPU to constantly pause its computations. A high memory capacity keeps data flowing, which unlocks the GPU's maximum performance.

Micron's HBM3E solution offers 50% more capacity than the competition, while consuming up to 30% less energy. This is a recipe for significant cost savings for data center operators and AI developers. That's why Nvidia and AMD are both using it in their latest GPUs: The Blackwell Ultra GB300 for Nvidia, and the MI350 Series for AMD.

Micron says its entire 2026 supply of HBM3E is almost sold out already. It's now sending out samples of its new HBM4 solution, which delivers up to 60% more capacity while improving energy efficiency by a further 20%.

During Micron's fiscal year 2025, which ended on Aug. 28, the company's total revenue soared by 49% year over year to a record $37.3 billion. However, revenue in its Cloud Memory business unit, which is where it accounts for data center HBM sales, absolutely rocketed by 257% to $13.5 billion. On Dec. 17, the company will report its operating results for its recent fiscal 2026 first quarter (which ended on Nov. 30), and it's expected to deliver more rapid growth at the top and bottom line.

Based on Micron's fiscal 2025 non-GAAP earnings of $8.29 per share, its stock is trading at a P/E ratio of just 27.3, so it's even cheaper than Corning (and substantially cheaper than Nvidia and AMD). Demand for GPUs is outstripping supply, so Nvidia and AMD are likely to sell truckloads of chips next year, which will be a massive tailwind for Micron's business.

Anthony Di Pizio has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Advanced Micro Devices, Apple, Corning, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.