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Company & Industry OverviewsWill Tech Stocks Push S&P 500 to Record Highs?
Tech stocks have been on a roll since the start of 2019. The S&P 500 ETF (INDEXSP: INX) has gained 31.4% since January 2019.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy Are Qorvo and Skyworks Stocks Rising Today?
Shares of Apple suppliers Qorvo and Skyworks are trading higher today. However, Apple stock is down by 0.4% today. We dig into why this may be.
DividendsTech Stocks: 3 Dividend Companies to Consider for 2020
Tech stocks have been on a roll in 2019. As we get closer to 2020, let’s take a look at the companies to consider for the next year.
Tech & Comm ServicesAAPL, FFIV, FB, GOOGL, ETSY: Top 5 Tech Calls Today
AAPL and other tech stocks are trending! Let’s take a look at what drove revised price targets, downgrades, and upgrades for today’s top tech stocks.
Company & Industry OverviewsAMZN Stock: Why It’s Underperforming the S&P 500
Amazon (AMZN) stock has returned 13.9% YTD. In 2019, AMZN is trailing the S&P 500, which has gained 24.3% YTD, as well as the major tech indexes.
ConsumerTech Stocks Drive the S&P 500 to Record Highs
This year, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) and Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) have risen 19.2% and 35.5%, respectively. What’s driven this rally?
Tech & Comm ServicesTwo Semiconductor Stocks Are Crushing It: Time to Sell?
Semiconductor firms Lam Research and KLA Corp. have crushed the markets in 2019. While Lam Research is up 65.4%, KLA has returned 71% year-to-date.
Tech & Comm ServicesMicron: Q4 Earnings Send Semiconductor Stocks Lower
Micron shares fell more than 9% in early market trading today. The stock is trading at $44.09, which is 14% below its 52-week high.
ConsumerDow Jones Fell 0.6% Yesterday, Ends Week in Red
The Dow Jones Industrial Average or DJIA fell 0.6% or 159.72 points on Friday, September 20, 2019. The S&P 500 ETF fell 0.54% yesterday.
Tech & Comm ServicesSemiconductor Stocks to Watch in September
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF and the iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor ETF fell 1.5% and 1.6% on September 3 but recovered the next day.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy Did US Semiconductor ETFs Fall in August?
August was tough for the semiconductor industry and semiconductor ETFs. The stocks fell significantly in early August when the US-China trade war escalated.
Tech & Comm ServicesChina Open to Trade Deal, Tech Stocks and Markets Rally
Markets made a comeback on Monday. President Trump indicated that China is ready to reconcile. Apparently, China is ready for a trade deal.
ConsumerCan Investors Expect a ‘Black Monday’ Tomorrow?
Tech and semiconductor stocks have significant exposure to China during this trade war. Investors should expect these stocks to trade lower on Monday.
Tech & Comm ServicesTech Stocks Plunge 4.1% as the Trade War Escalates
In the last week or so, major indexes have plunged as the US-China trade war has quickly escalated, leaving investors rattled.
Tech & Comm ServicesSemiconductor ETFs Fall on Trump’s New Tariff Tweet
President Trump is back with another threat of tariffs on Chinese imports just a month after the US and China agreed to resume trade talks.
Macroeconomic AnalysisTech Stocks React to More Trump Tariffs
The US is slapping a new 10% tariff on Chinese goods worth $300 billion. Here’s how the additional Trump tariffs will affect tech stocks.
Company & Industry OverviewsSemiconductor ETFs Are Still below Their All-Time Highs
On July 1, we saw several semiconductor stocks rally. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF rose 2.8%, while the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF rose 4.4% on the day.
Macroeconomic AnalysisWill Global Manufacturing PMI Bounce Back in July?
The global manufacturing PMI reading for June indicated a contraction in the manufacturing sector.
Macroeconomic AnalysisPowell Pushes Stocks Down a Well, Mnuchin Pulls Them Up
As my colleague Jitendra Parashar wrote recently, the S&P 500 opened higher today after Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin indicated that a deal is 90% done.
MiscellaneousMicron and NVIDIA Lead Semiconductor Gains on June 18
Semiconductor stocks have spiraled upwards today. The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) is up 4.6% currently, while the iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) is up 4.9%. Though trade war concerns remain, some stocks like NVIDIA might be undervalued due to their recent declines.
Macroeconomic AnalysisBoeing Led the Drop in US Exports in April, Deficit Remained High
Today, the Bureau of Economic Analysis released international trade data for April. Both US imports and exports fell 2.2% month-over-month.
MiscellaneousSemiconductor ETFs Fall as US Chip Firms Stop Shipments to Huawei
On May 16, the US banned American companies from supplying or transferring technology deemed critical for national security to Chinese telecom equipment supplier Huawei.
MiscellaneousSemiconductor ETFs at Risk of Technical Downturn
Monday was yet another bad day for semiconductor stocks.
Tech & Comm ServicesHuge Falls in INTC and NVDA Pull Down Semiconductor ETFs
The semiconductor industry is vulnerable to the US-China (FXI) trade war, as China is one of its key markets.
MiscellaneousWhat the US-China Trade War Means for Semiconductor Investors
The US-China trade war has especially affected semiconductor investors, as China is a key market for most US semiconductor companies.
MiscellaneousChip Stocks Fall as US Prepares for a Full-Blown Trade War
The US-China (FXI) trade war has entered its second year, and things are once again heating up after a cool period.
Tech & Comm ServicesUS-China Trade Tension Fears Hit Semiconductor Stocks
Donald Trump has reignited trade war tension with China.
Tech & Comm ServicesSemiconductor ETFs Overbought: What to Do?
The iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and the VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) hit a new 52-week high on April 17 due to strong growth in Qualcomm (QCOM) and Intel (INTC).
Tech & Comm ServicesSemiconductor ETFs Trade at 52-Week High: Time to Sell?
The VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH) hit a new 52-week high of $118.83 on April 17, driven by a more-than-20% increase in Qualcomm’s (QCOM) stock and more-than-5% increase in Intel’s (INTC) stock.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhat Pushed SOXX and SMH to New Highs?
The semiconductor sector is set to report its weakest earnings in more than two years.
Company & Industry OverviewsWhy Semiconductor Stocks Were on Fire Yesterday
Major technology stocks, particularly semiconductor stocks, rose on Wednesday amid the wave of optimism about a trade deal between the US and China.
Tech & Comm ServicesNVIDIA and Applied Materials Stock Fell Due to Weak Guidance
NVIDIA and Applied Materials stock fell 16.8% and 7.3% in the after-hours trading session on November 15.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy Nvidia Stock Is Sensitive to Negative News
In the last 80 days, Nvidia stock has fallen 5%, mostly due to no new gaming GPU and the end of the cryptocurrency boom.
Company & Industry OverviewsWhat Charles Schwab Predicts for Second Half of 2018
On July 10, Charles Schwab (SCHW) presented its forecast for the second half of the year.
FinancialsHow Could a Trade War Impact Asset Managers?
After Trump announced that Chinese investments in US tech stocks would be restricted, the Dow Jones Industrial Average spiked downward.
Company & Industry OverviewsThe Impact of US–China Trade Tensions on Applied Materials Stock
Applied Materials (AMAT) earned 21% of its 2016 revenues and 19% of its 2017 revenues from China. Any major shift in this market could hurt AMAT.
Tech & Comm ServicesIs the Growth Cycle for Applied Materials Here to Stay?
Trade war jitters between the US and China sent Applied Materials stock to $55.40 on March 23 from its 52-week high of $62.40 on March 12.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhat Triggered the Slowdown in Semiconductor Stocks in 2018?
For the semiconductor industry, 2018 started off with the disclosure of two chip design flaws.
Company & Industry OverviewsWhy AMD Stock Is Slow to React to Fundamental Information
In this series, we’ve learned that Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) stock has been moving against the current.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhat’s behind the Market Turbulence This Time?
Between March 22 and March 23, 2018, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) fell by ~1,150 points.
Real InsightsWhat Imparts Transparency to Digital Assets?
Digital assets based on DLT (distributed ledger technology) allows users to initiate and verify their own transactions without any central authority such as banks.
Cryptocurrency & BlockchainHow to Short Bitcoins
Shorting of bitcoins is currently done through unregulated exchanges. However, given bitcoin’s huge volatility, shorting becomes a risky affair.
Real InsightsHow Digital Assets Could Generate Income
Blockchain technology holds a lot of promise due to its many advantages such as transparency, faster transactions at lower costs, and a reliable system.
Real InsightsWhy the Number of Bitcoins Is Limited
The founders of bitcoin have set a limit of 21 million bitcoins that can be mined over a period of time. Of those, 16.8 million are already in circulation.
Real InsightsWhy the Future Belongs to Digital Assets
In DLT (distributed ledger technology), details of the transactions are recorded in multiple places called blocks. These blocks are then chained together on a shared network.
Real InsightsWhy You Should Know the Technology behind Bitcoin
Bitcoin and its underlying technology (XLK), blockchain, are interesting concepts that have caught the attention of people all around the world.
Real InsightsThings to Know Before You Buy Bitcoin
The sharp rise and fall in the price of bitcoin are mainly because ownership of the currency is heavily concentrated in just a few hands.
Real InsightsIs Bitcoin a Bubble?
The price of bitcoin (SOXL) (SOXX) has risen 69,278.6% over the last five years. On the other hand, in the last seven days, it has plummeted 27% to $12,466.
Real InsightsBlockchain and Bitcoin: But What Else Is Blockchain Used For?
Deutsche Bank is planning to use blockchain technology in currency settlement, trade processing, and derivative contracts.
Real InsightsHow Blockchain Technology Could Reduce Criminal Activities
Before updating data on a blockchain, users must agree about the veracity of the transaction through a process called consensus.
Real InsightsIs Bitcoin Ready to Replace Real Currency?
Despite the higher number of transactions that need to be updated regularly by users, the transaction capacity is intentionally kept very low by the bitcoin founders.
Tech & Comm ServicesA Year in Review: Semiconductor Stock Performances in 2017
The semiconductor market witnessed strong growth in 2017, as the world witnessed the beginning of the fourth technology shift toward AI and IoT.
Macroeconomic AnalysisHow Bitcoins Are Created Today
In the bitcoin world, mining involves investing a lot of capital in computer hardware and competing with fellow miners to solve a complex mathematical problem.
Tech & Comm ServicesShares of Apple’s Suppliers Fall over iPhone Concerns
On July 5, 2016, shares of Apple’s suppliers, including Skyworks Solutions, Qorvo, and Cirrus fell over concerns about the iPhone.
Tech & Comm ServicesCypress Semiconductors Rises following a Fall after Brexit
Cypress Semiconductors (CY) has a market capitalization of $3.4 billion. It rose by 10.5% to close at $10.55 per share on June 30, 2016.
MiscellaneousSamsung Introduces 10nm DRAM Chips, Mass Produces 18nm Chips
Samsung will reveal the 10nm mobile DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) “in the near future.” The memory is 30% faster and uses 20% less power.
MiscellaneousWhat’s the Recent Trend in 2GB DRAM Spot Prices?
The spot price of 2GB DDR3 DRAM fell 0.94% from $0.96 on March 25 to $0.95 on April 5, 2016. The spot price of 4GB DDR 3 DRAM fell 1.3% from $1.65 to $1.63.
Macroeconomic AnalysisHow Are SOXX’s Fund Flows Trending?
The iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) tracks the performance of 30 publicly listed companies in the semiconductor sector.
Company & Industry OverviewsWhat Is the Recent Trend in 2GB DRAM Spot Prices?
The spot price of 2GB DDR3 (double data rate 3) DRAM fell 3.4% from $1.11 on January 22, 2016, to $1.07 on February 12, 2016.
Company & Industry OverviewsMarvell Technology Rises 11% on Starboard Value’s Support
Marvell’s stock fell sharply last year as Glancy Prongay & Murray (or GPM) announced its investigation of potential claims on behalf of Marvell’s investors.
Company & Industry OverviewsLower Revenue Guidance for Analog, Qorvo, and Cirrus Logic
Analog announced that it expects its revenue in fiscal 1Q16 to be $745–$765 million due to weaker demand in its portable consumer business segment.
Company & Industry Overviews32 GB Flash NAND Contract Price Falls 4.7% in 3 Weeks
The contract price of 32 GB NAND has fallen 4.7% from $1.69 to $1.61, whereas the contract price of 64 GB NAND has fallen 1.8% from $2.19 to $2.15.
Company & Industry OverviewsLooking Back on Micron Technology’s Plunge in 2015
As of the end of December 2015, Micron Technology has generated YTD returns of -59%, compared to 61% in 2014.
Macroeconomic AnalysisSOXX Sees -$225.1 Million in Fund Inflows in Trailing 12 Months
In the trailing one month, fund outflows for SOXX were -$21.6 million. In the trailing 12 months, net fund inflows were -$225.1 million.
Company & Industry OverviewsThe iShares S&P NA Technology Semiconductor Index Fund (SOXX) Shows Big Trailing-Three-Year Muscle
SOXX generated 21.6% in the trailing-three-year period and 11.5% in the trailing-five-year period.
Company & Industry OverviewsToshiba to End the Visual Product Business outside Japan
Toshiba is set to structurally reform its Visual Product business segment by reducing its employee headcount from 4,800 to 1,100 by the end of fiscal 2016.
Company & Industry OverviewsToshiba to Redefine Focus Business Areas
Toshiba stated THAT it plans to concentrate on cash flow in planning its mid-term business plans, budget, business performance management, and evaluation.
Company & Industry OverviewsEconomic Uncertainties May Limit Global NAND Flash Revenues
Samsung has started mass production of 3D-NAND flash memory and has gradually increased its market share in this segment.
Company & Industry OverviewsDRAM Prices Fall Due to Weak Demand
DDR4 (double data rate 4) has been consistently gaining market share in overall DRAM (dynamic random access memory) production.
Company & Industry OverviewsDRAM Consumption in China Expected to Reach $12 Billion
DRAMeXchange forecasts DRAM consumption in China to reach $12 billion at the end of fiscal 2015. It expects NAND flash consumption to reach $6.7 billion in the same period.
Company & Industry OverviewsSamsung’s Revenues and Market Share Rose in 3Q15
Samsung’s (SSNLF) revenues increased 2.3% QoQ, from $5.1 billion in 2Q15 to $52.7 billion in 3Q15. Its market share also increased from 45.1% to 46.7% in the same period.
Company & Industry OverviewsMobile DRAM Revenues Increased 18% YoY in 3Q15
Mobile DRAM revenues in 3Q5 increased 18% QoQ (quarter-over-quarter). Demand in this segment was driven by an increase in shipments of LPDDR4 for the iPhone 6s.
Macroeconomic AnalysisSamsung’s Market Share Is Expected to Increase in Fiscal 2016
Samsung’s market share for the quarter was 45.2%, a gain of 1.1 percentage point YoY compared to 2Q14. It was Samsung’s best ever quarterly performance.
Company & Industry OverviewsSamsung and SK Hynix Are Dominating the 8GB DRAM Market
Samsung and SK Hynix’s combined share of the global 8GB DRAM market is greater than the total DRAM market. Samsung has a market share of 45%, while SK Hynix’s market share is 28%.
Company & Industry OverviewsDRAM Market Expected to Grow 13% from 2015–2019
Smartphones may soon become the major revenue-generating source in the mobile DRAM market. It’s driven by increased demand for high memory in smartphone devices.
Company & Industry OverviewsSkyworks and Microsemi Compete to Acquire PMC-Sierra
On October 5, 2015, Skyworks Solutions announced that it is looking to acquire peer company PMC-Sierra for $2 billion in cash.
Earnings ReportGaming GPUs Drove Nvidia’s Revenues in Fiscal 3Q16
Nvidia manufactures graphics processing units (or GPUs) used in PC gaming and Tegra processors used in mobile devices, tablets, and automotive applications.
Company & Industry OverviewsKLA-Tencor and Lam Research: Synergies of $250 Million Expected
The combined KLA-Tencor and Lam Research expect to realize $250 million in cost synergies within the next 18 to 24 months of the acquisition.
Earnings ReportKLA-Tencor: A Fundamentally Strong Stock
Gross margin for KLA-Tencor (KLAC) in 1Q16 was ~58.0%. Its cash-to-debt ratio in was 0.75x, lower than the industry median of 1.75x.
Earnings ReportLam Research to Acquire KLA-Tencor
KLA-Tencor constitutes ~2.4% of the iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) and 0.84% of the VanEck Vectors Semiconductor ETF (SMH).
Earnings ReportLam Research: A Fundamentally Strong Stock
In the past 12 months, Lam Research’s revenue growth per share, EBITDA, and free cash flow rose by 12.8%, 0.8%, and 2.5%, respectively.
Company & Industry OverviewsWhere Intel Fits in the New Semiconductor Value Chain
Huge investment is required at every stage of semiconductor development to make smaller-sized chips in a cost-effective manner without compromising on functionality.
Fund ManagersJAT Capital Eliminates Exposure to SanDisk Corporation
JAT Capital sold its position in SanDisk Corporation (SNDK) in 4Q14. The position had represented 1.2% of the fund’s third-quarter portfolio.
Fund ManagersMicron Technology’s Lower Position in Point72 Asset Management
Point72 reduced its position in Micron Technology. It sold 4,792,200 shares during 4Q14. The shares accounted for 0.28% of the fund’s total 4Q14 portfolio.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy the cloud is a boon for SanDisk’s NAND flash growth
Cloud storage has opened up a plethora of opportunities for SanDisk, as cloud storage is completely dependent on flash drives to be super fast.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy SanDisk’s embedded segment is key for growth
Although high-end smartphones and tablets will bring significant revenues for SanDisk, the company expects the SSD division to benefit more than its embedded segment will.
Tech & Comm Services SanDisk launches its largest SD memory card ever
In September 2014, SanDisk (SNDK) released the Extreme Pro SDXC memory card, which is the world’s first Secure Digital card with storage of 512 gigabytes of data.
Tech & Comm Services Why AMD’s restructuring strategy could hamper its future growth
In its 3Q14 quarterly results, AMD management announced its new restructuring plan that it expects to implement primarily in 4Q14.
Tech & Comm Services Why AMD’s graphics solutions segment offers some good news
Thanks to console design wins and differentiated GPU (graphics processing unit) technology, AMD’s graphics segment has experienced growth.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy AMD’s computing and graphics segment is having trouble
In 3Q14, AMD’s computing and graphics segment reported a quarter-over-quarter and year-over-year decline in its revenues of 6% and 16%, respectively.
Tech & Comm Services Why AMD’s 3Q14 earnings missed expectations
Advanced Micro Devices’ 3Q14 revenues and non-GAAP EPS were $1.43 billion and $0.03 per share, respectively.
ConsumerMust-know: Intel’s software and services strategy
In accordance with its mobile strategy in 2010, Intel acquired McAfee for ~ $7.7 billion. Intel acquired McAfee with the intent of integrating its security solutions into Intel-manufactured chips.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy Micron’s position in the DRAM market may be under threat
Samsung is expected to initiate manufacturing of DRAM wafers by the end of 2014, with a focus on PC DRAM. In the second half of 2015, its maximum S3 DRAM capacity is expected to reach 60,000 per month.
Tech & Comm Services Microchip Technology’s news may not affect other leading players
A change in Microchip Technology’s revenue forecasts Microchip Technology Inc. (MCHP) revised its revenue projection downward for this quarter to $546 million. The earlier revenue forecast for the current quarter was $560 million–$575 million. The revised forecast is ~3.7% lower than the average of the company’s previous guidance. Microchip Technology’s results and announcements are roughly considered […]
Tech & Comm Services Must-know: Did AMD’s strategy yield revenues and profits?
As of 2Q14, AMD earned ~40% of its revenue from the high growth markets. It wants to generate ~50% of its revenue from the high-end markets in the future.
Tech & Comm Services “Dense servers” provide a huge growth opportunity for AMD
Dense servers are part of the computing segment. They’re mainly used in data centers. When they’re compared to traditional servers, they improve space efficiency for data centers.
Tech & Comm Services AMD launches Hierofalcon and Bald Eagle for embedded solutions
In 2014, AMD plans to launch two new high-performance AMD (AMD) embedded R-series processor families—the Hierofalcon and the Bald Eagle.
Tech & Comm ServicesWhy AMD targets the embedded computing market
In September 2013, AMD (AMD) announced its plan for the embedded computing market. It offered ARM and x86 processors. AMD catered to the rapid changes in the technology market.
Tech & Comm Services Record revenue growth for client SSDs stimulated SanDisk’s growth
SanDisk (SNDK) is keen to increase the contribution of client SSDs to its total revenues as it offers a stable pricing environment and high margins.