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Nasdaq Rallies on Stellar Tech Show: 5 Solid Earnings Picks

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The Nasdaq Composite Index scaled a record high this Monday, courtesy of solid earnings results from the technology sector so far this reporting cycle. The tech-heavy benchmark inched up 0.7% to close at 6,091.60, slightly lower than the intraday high of 6,100.73.

Positive sentiments regarding Apple Inc.’s (AAPL) soon-to-be-reported results are playing a key role behind the current Nasdaq upswing. The upside is also driven by the robust earnings performance of major technology bigwigs such as Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) and Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL).

Apple Boosts Tech Stocks

Apple’s stock gained nearly 2%, during the May 1 trading session, to reach a record high of $146.58 per share. The company is slated to report second-quarter fiscal 2017 (Mar 31, 2017) results after the market closes. Higher demand for state-of-the-art products like iPhone and software services such as App store would likely boost Apple’s top- and bottom-line performance in the quarter to be reported.

Our proven model shows that Apple is likely to beat on earnings this fiscal quarter (ended Mar 31, 2017), as it currently carries a favorable Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) and has a positive Earnings ESP.  The Most Accurate estimate of $2.03 per share is higher than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.01. This suggests that analysts have very recently revised their estimates upward for Apple, giving the stock an Earnings ESP of 1.00%.

In fact, we project earnings of all the technology stocks in the S&P 500 Index to witness 13.9% year-over-year growth, while revenues are likely to be up 6.1% (read more: The Tech Sector's Strong Earnings Power).

Inside Story

Prime companies like Netflix and Alphabet reported better-than-expected earnings this season. On Apr 17, Netflix’s first-quarter 2017 earnings of 40 cents surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 38 cents. The figure also came higher than the year-ago tally of 6 cents per share. The upside was stemmed by sound operational performance and sturdy year-over-year top-line growth.

Alphabet Inc. reported strong first-quarter 2017 results on Apr 27. Quarterly earnings of $7.73 per share surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $4.24. In addition, revenues of $24.8 billion exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $19.7 billion. The company noted that the stellar performance was backed by the benefits accrued from ongoing growth-based investments, stronger market demand and robust momentum across new business domains.

Overall, 30 out of the 62 S&P 500 companies have reported earnings till Apr 28, accounting for 57.4% of the sector’s total market capitalization, with 80% topping EPS (earnings per share) estimates and 73.3% coming in ahead of top-line expectations.

5 Best Tech Stocks for Your Portfolio

We have zeroed in on five hot technology stocks below, with the help of our Zacks Stock Screener.  These stocks not only sport a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), but also are poised for significant growth in the near term. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here

Notably, these picks flaunt a VGM score of ‘A’ or ‘B’. Here V stands for Value, G for Growth and M for Momentum and the score is a weighted combination of these three metrics. Such a score allows you to eliminate the negative aspects of stocks and select winners.

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (AAOI - Free Report) manufactures, designs and sells premium fiber-optic networking products. The company currently carries a VGM score ‘B’. The projected earnings growth rate of the stock for this year is 220.90%, higher than the Electronics - Semiconductors industry’s projected growth rate of 6.60%.

Lantronix, Inc. (LTRX - Free Report) offers secured data management and access solutions in the market. The company currently carries a VGM score ‘B’. The projected earnings growth rate of the stock for fiscal 2017 is 50.00%, higher than the Computer - Networking industry’s projected growth rate of 15.50%.

MKS Instruments, Inc. (MKSI - Free Report) provides subsystems, instruments and process control solutions in the global forum. The company currently holds a VGM score ‘B’. The projected earnings growth rate of the stock for 2017 is 45.10%, higher than the Electronics - Manufacturing Machinery industry’s projected growth rate of 36.70%.

PCTEL, Inc. , along with its subsidiaries, provides critical telecom solutions in the market. The company currently holds a VGM score ‘B’. The projected earnings growth rate of the stock for this year is 150.00%, as against the Wireless Equipment industry’s projected negative growth rate of 4.90%.

Ultra Clean Holdings, Inc. (UCTT - Free Report) creates, engineers, designs various types of tests production tools, subsystems and modules for the semiconductor equipment and capital equipment industry. The company currently holds a VGM score ‘B’. The projected earnings growth rate of the stock for 2017 is 139.00%, as against the Electronics - Manufacturing Machinery industry’s projected growth rate of 36.70%.

The Best & Worst of Zacks

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