Looking back on analog semiconductors stocks' Q3 earnings, we examine this quarter's best and worst performers, including ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ON) and its peers.
Demand for analog chips is generally linked to the overall level of economic growth, as analog chips serve as the building blocks of most electronic goods and equipment. Unlike digital chip designers, analog chip makers tend to produce the majority of their own chips, as analog chip production does not require expensive leading edge nodes. Less dependent on major secular growth drivers, analog product cycles are much longer, often 5-7 years.
The 15 analog semiconductors stocks we track reported a weak Q3; on average, revenues were in line with analyst consensus estimates while next quarter's revenue guidance was 8% below consensus. Investors abandoned cash-burning companies to buy stocks with higher margins of safety, but analog semiconductors stocks held their ground better than others, with the share prices up 14.5% on average since the previous earnings results.
ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ON)
Spun out of Motorola in 1999 and built through a series of acquisitions, ON Semiconductor (NASDAQ:ON) is a global provider of analog chips specializing in autos, industrial applications, and power management in cloud data centers.
ON Semiconductor reported revenues of $2.18 billion, down 0.5% year on year, topping analyst expectations by 1.5%. It was a slower quarter for the company, with underwhelming revenue guidance for the next quarter and a decline in its operating margin.
“Our disciplined approach and execution resulted in another solid quarter, demonstrating the resilience in our business amid market softness,” said Hassane El-Khoury, president and chief executive officer of onsemi.
The stock is down 8.3% since the results and currently trades at $76.66.
Read our full report on ON Semiconductor here, it's free.
Best Q3: Monolithic Power Systems (NASDAQ:MPWR)
Founded in 1997 by its longtime CEO Michael Hsing, Monolithic Power Systems (NASDAQ:MPWR) is an analog and mixed signal chipmaker that specializes in power management chips meant to minimize total energy consumption.
Monolithic Power Systems reported revenues of $474.9 million, down 4.1% year on year, in line with analyst expectations. It was a mixed quarter for the company, with a significant improvement in its inventory levels but a decline in its gross margin.
The stock is up 46.1% since the results and currently trades at $589.8.
Is now the time to buy Monolithic Power Systems? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it's free.