Key Takeaways
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Nvidia’s strong position in the AI market has significantly boosted its market value, but a decade can bring shifts in leadership.
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Alphabet has diverse growth opportunities, particularly with Google Cloud benefiting from AI advancements.
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Even if Berkshire Hathaway doesn’t surpass Nvidia in the next 10 years, its varied business approach may still yield steady long-term returns.
Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) is currently enjoying a pivotal moment in the tech world. Its chips are essential for the AI revolution, leading Wall Street to grant it a remarkable market capitalization of $4.5 trillion as of February 17, 2026.
While it’s evident that Nvidia is thriving, I’m curious about the long-term outlook. Which companies could potentially claim larger market valuations a decade from now?
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A decade allows time for competitors to rise, customers to innovate, and for market valuations to stabilize amid the economic forces at play.
Now, let’s consider two companies I believe could potentially outshine Nvidia by 2036, should Nvidia’s trajectory slow down.
Alphabet’s Potential to Match or Exceed Nvidia’s Success
Alphabet (NASDAQ: GOOG) (NASDAQ: Google) is firmly on the AI path, operating alongside Nvidia. The Google Cloud segment is among Nvidia’s major clients, investing billions into AI infrastructure. Consequently, Alphabet plans to significantly increase its capital investment—from about $91 billion to nearly $180 billion by 2027.
Yet, Alphabet is not entrenched in Nvidia’s hardware for the long haul. The company is already collaborating with Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM) to develop its custom AI accelerators. These Tensor chips cater specifically to Google Cloud’s needs but might soon be made available to other cloud service providers.
It’s not just Alphabet exploring in-house chip designs; nearly every major AI software player is considering their own options. This landscape is becoming crowded, raising questions on whether Nvidia can continue to sustain high prices for its products.
On a positive note, Google Cloud has seen its quarterly revenue more than triple in just three years, bouncing back from a slight loss at the end of 2022 to achieve $5.3 billion in operational profit in Q4 2025. The company is also well-positioned to handle forthcoming challenges. Alphabet operates under a structure that supports various businesses, including self-driving taxis with Waymo, which might become a substantial revenue source.
How confident is Alphabet about its future? Recently, the company issued a 100-year bond to fund its AI infrastructure initiatives. It’s a bold move, and while it doesn’t guarantee longevity, it reflects ambition—something not many companies can endorse convincingly.
Looking ahead, Alphabet, with a valuation of $3.7 trillion, is just 20% behind Nvidia. If Nvidia sees an average growth of 11.5% over the next decade and Alphabet grows at 14%, both could potentially reach a market capitalization of around $13.5 trillion. Minor variations can lead to significant changes over time.
Berkshire Hathaway: A Steady Player with Potential
Now, consider Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRKA) (NYSE: BRKB). It’s all about consistent, small advantages that compound into significant barriers to entry.
Berkshire has more ground to cover than Alphabet, but it averaged a market cap of $1.1 trillion last year. If Nvidia’s stock climbs by 11.5% annually, Berkshire would need a compound annual growth rate of around 29% to keep pace over a decade—quite a challenge, indeed. If Berkshire instead grows at a rate of 15% per year, Nvidia might very well hold onto its current valuation of $4.4 trillion.
Berkshire’s performance has generally been above that of the S&P 500 over the past 10 years, with an impressive annual increase of 14.4% during Warren Buffett’s leadership.
It’s possible that Berkshire won’t surpass Nvidia’s valuation by 2036. Yet, while Nvidia’s stock might exhibit erratic movements, I anticipate steady growth for Berkshire over the coming years. Its diversified model may ensure the company remains financially viable for decades, though it’s uncertain if the same could be said for Nvidia.
Thus, even if Berkshire doesn’t close the gap with Nvidia’s market value in the next decade, the journey could still yield healthy returns for long-term investors. The diversified conglomerate is likely to thrive even beyond that timeframe.
Is Now a Good Time to Invest in Alphabet?
If you’re considering investing in Alphabet, here are a few points to note:
According to the Motley Fool Stock Advisor, analysts have identified the top 10 stocks they recommend purchasing now…and Alphabet isn’t on that list. The identified stocks might offer impressive returns in the near future.
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