As the month of June draws to a close, the financial markets are beginning to get concerned about the tech rally that has been taking the S&P 500 by storm so far this year. Many professionals have begun stating that a tech pullback may be fast approaching, which is beginning to scare off investors with billions locked in tech stocks. On June 27, Alex Kantrowitz, Big Technology Founder, was invited on CNBC to share his thoughts on the future of tech stocks in the second half of 2023 in light of these concerns.
Kantrowitz noted that the valuations of several tech stocks, including NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), have been skyrocketing so far this year, even as interest rates also continue to rise. At the time of his interview, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) was trading at $410.02. According to Kantrowitz, one way to view such rising valuations is to ask why nothing so far has managed to stop them from continuing their upwards progress. On the other hand, one can also consider the fact that most big tech companies are seeing significant multiple expansions in 2023. Kantrowitz commented that these bigger multiples signal that there is a chance of there being a tech pullback. Here are some of his comments from the interview:
"Fundamentally, you look at it, it makes you a little nervous. Then you also say 'what's the market done until now?' It's kept buying."
Kantrowitz's comments truly highlight how many investors are approaching the rising tensions within the tech sector amid concerns of a pullback. While experience and fundamentals may signal to them that a pullback may be on the horizon, most are unable to truly consider this possibility considering the market's continuing optimism surrounding the tech sector. Later in the interview, Kantrowitz offers some insights into what has been helping the tech industry maintain its momentum until now. In his eyes, the narrative surrounding artificial intelligence (AI), particularly after the launch of ChatGPT, has been mostly carrying the tech stocks. He noted the following:
"We've seen this run-up in tech stocks and it's largely been based on an AI narrative. The narrative that we start talking to computers, they start talking back to us, all of a sudden the narrative is that it's gonna change the world. And it very well might. But what's happened since the introduction of ChatGPT? There's been a lot of cool consumer experiments, or prototypes. But have we seen the one or two market-changing, world-changing applications that's made everything that you do different the same way that the iPhone did? Because that's basically what the market is betting. We haven't seen it."
According to Kantrowitz, the above spells out danger for the tech industry. He believes that if the narrative surrounding AI changes from the market considering it as a "world-changing" technology to just considering it as a "cool" technology, this would be "bad news" for both the tech industry and the market at large.
How Tech Pullback Concerns Are Impacting Stocks In The Sector
Several stocks in the tech industry have begun feeling the market's uncertainty in light of more discussions surrounding a potential pullback. On June 26, CNBC briefly showed how several semiconductor stocks, such as Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), had actually declined for the day in light of these concerns by 8% and 9%, respectively. These stocks are among the best semiconductor stocks in 2023, as we mentioned in one of our previous articles. However, the changing market dynamics are signaling that investors should begin monitoring them more closely at this time. Additionally, it may also be wise to look closely at undervalued semiconductor stocks and the fastest-growing semiconductor companies at this time.
At the same time, on June 27, CNBC's TechCheck showed how pullback concerns have begun heating up AI deals, leading to more companies jumping into partnerships and acquisitions. Examples include the recent partnership between NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) and Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:SNOW) and the $1.3 billion acquisition of MosaicML by Databricks. It was also noted that while these deals are beginning to heat up, several tech stocks are beginning to lose their gains heading into the last week of June.
The discussion above implies that while the tech industry is continuing to hold on, there are many stocks within it that investors should begin inspecting more closely. It may also be a good idea to begin monitoring the performance of semiconductor stocks, which began falling on June 26, to ensure that tech investors are not taken by surprise if a pullback does come about. In light of the uncertainty in the market today, we have compiled a list of some semiconductor stocks to watch as the situation develops further.
10 Semiconductor Stocks To Watch During A Potential Tech Pullback
To compile our list below, we selected semiconductor stocks that were popular among hedge funds during the first quarter of 2023 by using Insider Monkey's hedge fund data for that quarter. We ranked these stocks based on their upside potential, the data for which we sourced from TipRanks. The stocks are ranked in order of the lowest to the highest upside potential as of June 27.
Semiconductor Stocks To Watch During A Potential Tech Pullback
Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) is a semiconductor company based in Santa Clara, California. The company designs, develops, manufactures, and sells computing and related products across the globe.
Cody Acree, an analyst at Benchmark, reiterated a Buy rating on Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) shares on June 22. The analyst also maintained a $39 price target on the stock.
There were 68 hedge funds long Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) in the first quarter, with a total stake value of $3.7 billion.
Citadel Investment Group was the most prominent shareholder in Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) at the end of the first quarter, holding 17.2 million shares in the company.
Mizuho's Vijay Rakesh reiterated a Buy rating on Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) shares on June 22, alongside an $840 price target.
Our hedge fund information for the first quarter shows 72 funds long Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO). Their total stake value in the company was $3.5 billion.
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) is based in San Jose, California. This information technology company designs, develops, and supplies semiconductor devices with a focus on complex digital and mixed-signal complementary metal oxide semiconductor-based devices.
Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO), like NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), is a semiconductor stock investors should keep an eye on over the next few months.
We saw 34 hedge funds long Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) in the first quarter, with a total stake value of $497 million.
Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) develops proprietary semiconductor products. The company operates in the US, China, South Korea, Taiwan, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the rest of Asia-Pacific. It is based in Irvine, California.
Vijay Rakesh at Mizuho holds a Buy rating on Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) shares as of June 22. The analyst also maintains a $125 price target on the stock.
Holding 642,288 shares in the company, AQR Capital Management was the largest shareholder in Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) at the end of the first quarter.
Vulcan Value Partners made the following comment about Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS) in its first-quarter 2023 investor letter:
“Additionally, Skyworks Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ:SWKS), Amazon, and TransDigm Group were all material contributors during the quarter. We have discussed these companies at length in prior letters. Skyworks Solutions has been successful at utilizing its advancement in cellular connectivity in other end markets such as the Internet of Things. All three of these companies are executing well, their theses are intact, and we are pleased to own them at a discount to our estimate of intrinsic value.”
Susquehanna analyst Christopher Rolland holds a Positive rating on Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) as of June 13. The analyst also maintains a price target of $205 on the shares.
Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) was spotted in the portfolios of 52 hedge funds in the first quarter, with a total stake value of $2.9 billion.
Like other names on our list, Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN) designs, manufactures, and sells semiconductors in the US and internationally. The company primarily caters to electronics designers and manufacturers in these regions. It is based in Dallas, Texas.
Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN), like NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), is a semiconductor stock with significant upside potential.
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is a developer and seller of memory and storage products across the globe. This semiconductor company is based in Boise, Idaho.
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) was found in the 13F holdings of 73 hedge funds in the first quarter. Their total stake value in the company was $2.7 billion.
As of June 22, Toshiya Hari, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, holds a Buy rating on Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) shares. The analyst also raised the firm's price target on the stock from $70 to $80.
Citadel Investment Group was the biggest shareholder in Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) at the end of the first quarter, holding 6.9 million shares.
