We recently compiled a list of the 12 Small-Cap Semiconductor Stocks to Buy Now.In this article, we are going to take a look at where Photronics Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) stands against the other small-cap semiconductor stocks.
According to Deloitte's 2025 global semiconductor industry outlook, released on February 4, 2025, the semiconductor industry is set for a much better 2025, with projected sales reaching $697 billion, representing an 11.2% year-over-year growth. This projection suggests the industry is on track to achieve the widely accepted goal of $1 trillion in sales by 2030. Deloitte analysts also highlight that "average" chip stock performance over the past two years has been a "tale of two markets": Companies involved in the generative AI chip market have outperformed, while those in automotive, computer, smartphone, and communications semiconductors have lagged.
This growth story aligns with the significant expansion the semiconductor industry has experienced over the past decade, largely driven by advancements in artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. The entire supply chain, from lithography to equipment and packaging, has benefited from this surge, resulting in unprecedented demand for advanced semiconductors. While the majority of investments in these technologies have come from large-cap companies, small-cap companies are often leading the charge on the innovation front within the emerging technologies, and at the same time, offer diversification away from the crowded large-and-mega-cap stocks.
In November 2024, Francis Gannon, Co-chief Investment Officer at Royce Investment Partners, discussed his thesis on small-caps during an interview with Yahoo Finance. He noted that small-caps have been out of favor for an extended period, with the Russell 2000 reaching its peak three years ago and experiencing negative returns since then. Gannon believes the new Trump administration, reshoring efforts, leading innovation, and a favourable earnings season will significantly boost the small-cap companies, describing this shift as nothing short of a "revolution."
In summary, semiconductors represent a long-term investment opportunity, with the small-cap segment garnering attention as a hot topic in recent months. Exciting return opportunities are anticipated in the coming years. With that, let's explore the top 12 opportunities in the small-cap semiconductor space that we have identified for you.
Our Methodology
To identify the 12 small-cap semiconductor stocks to buy now, we screened U.S. listed semiconductor companies with a market capitalization between $300 million and $2 billion. The stocks were then arranged in ascending order of the number of hedge fund holders for each company, based on hedge fund data from Insider Monkey’s database as of Q3 2024.
Note: All pricing and market cap data is as of market close on February 7.
At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
An engineer manipulating a complex circuit board that will be used in flat panel displays.
Photronics Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) is a leading manufacturer of photomasks, essential components in the semiconductor fabrication process. Photomasks are high-precision quartz plates that contain microscopic images of electronic circuits. The company produces photomasks for various applications, including integrated circuits (ICs), flat panel displays (FPDs), and other advanced technologies.
On December 11, 2024, Photronics Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) reported its Q4 FY 2024 results (FY ending October 2024). For the quarter, revenue was $223 million, down 2% year-over-year (YoY) but up 6% sequentially, driven by growth in high-end IC and Generation 10.5+ FPDs. Adjusted net income was $37.1 million, or $0.59 in EPS. The company provided guidance for Q1 2025, expecting revenue between $208 million and $216 million and adjusted EPS between $0.43 and $0.49. Photronics Inc. (NASDAQ:PLAB) remains optimistic about future growth, driven by megatrends such as AI, supply chain regionalization, and edge computing. Commenting on the healthy sequential growth, company CEO Frank Lee highlighted the positive outlook and said:
“Photomask demand trends were favourable as we ended the year and we are cautiously optimistic that these trends will continue into 2025, driven by megatrends such as AI, supply chain regionalization, and edge computing. We believe our competitive advantages and market leadership will allow us to grow along with the photomask market growth trajectory. Combined with financial discipline to expand margins and improve cash flow, we are well positioned to continue growing profitably and creating shareholder value.”
Overall PLAB ranks 5th on our list of the small-cap semiconductor stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of PLAB as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than PLAB but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
