Which Semiconductor Stocks Could Be The Cirrus (CRUS) Of 2020?

Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ:CRUS) has been one of the outstanding performers in the semiconductor space this year. The stock has appreciated a whopping 135.5% on a year-to-date basis.

The performance can be attributed to the company’s asset-light business model and portfolio strength. These factors also helped Cirrus withstand the sluggishness and volatility of the semiconductor market.

Being a fabless company, Cirrus does not have to own or operate foundries for the production of wafers. Instead, the company works with third-party contractors and chip assemblers for the manufacturing, assembling and testing of products. The asset-light business model permits the company to focus more on the designing, developing and marketing side.

Moreover, Cirrus Logic’s expanding product portfolio has been a major growth driver. The company’s chips are now used in DVD players/recorders, disc drives, sound chips for computers, Xbox, professional audio, mobile technologies and voice transmission. Its foray into the emerging digital headset market with a variety of new solutions related to flagship and mid-tier smartphones have driven top-line growth.

This Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) company surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average positive surprise being 111.9%.

Improving Semiconductor Sales in 2020: Key Catalyst

We expect Cirrus to continue its momentum in 2020 due to an improving semiconductor market and partial respite in the U.S.-China trade war.

Notably, per the recent phase one deal, the U.S. government has agreed to suspend tariffs on Chinese goods worth $160 billion, which included cell phones, laptop computers, toys and clothing. This has bought respite to Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) , the largest customer of Cirrus.

Moreover, demand for memory chips is likely to keep rising in 2020, primarily from datacenter customers. Additionally, the excess NAND and DRAM inventory, which had impeded growth for the most part of 2019, is expected to normalize, thereby improving average selling price.

Further, capital expenditure of semiconductor companies like TSMC, Samsung (KS:005930) and Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) is expected to improve next year and beyond on investments in infrastructure and expanded capacity.

Per World Semiconductor Trade Statistics, global semiconductor sales are expected to increase 5.9% in 2020 against an estimated 12.8% decline in 2019.

Other Semiconductor Players in Limelight

However, apart from Cirrus, there are other players in the semiconductor space poised to gain handsomely in 2020.

With the help of the Zacks Stock Screener, we have picked four semiconductor stocks with a combination of a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy) and a VGM Score of A or B.

Per the Zacks’ proprietary methodology, stocks with this favorable combination offer the best investment opportunities. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Our Picks

Amkor Technology (NASDAQ:AMKR) is one of the largest providers of semiconductor packaging and test services. It packages and tests integrated circuits for chip manufacturers, fabless semiconductor companies and contract foundries. This Zacks #1 Ranked company has a Growth Score of B.

Strong momentum across communications and consumer end markets are major growth drivers. Moreover, strengthening presence in the automotive end market owing to rising need for advanced packaging in ADAS, infotainment and other digital applications is a major positive.

Another important pick is Ichor Holdings, Ltd. (NASDAQ:ICHR) , which is engaged in design, engineering and manufacturing of critical fluid delivery subsystems for semiconductor capital equipment. The stock has a Zacks Rank #2 and a Growth Score of B.

The company’s EUV lithography is gaining steam, and continued strengthening of investments in the foundry and logic sectors, combined with a recovery in memory capital spending indicates a strong year ahead for Ichor.

The next stock that made to our list is KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) , which is an original equipment manufacturer of process diagnostics and control equipment, and yield management solutions required for the fabrication of semiconductor integrated circuits or chips. This Zacks Rank #2 stock has a Growth Score of B.

Growing Foundry and Logic investments remain major positives for the company. Demand for advanced logic nodes is expected to remain healthy through the remainder of 2019 and in 2020, driven by investments in EUV, competitive dynamics and capacity additions.

Another pick is Diodes Incorporated (NASDAQ:DIOD) , which is a leading manufacturer and supplier of high-quality discrete and analog semiconductor products, primarily to the communications, computing, industrial, consumer electronics and automotive markets.

The company is benefiting from increasing usage of its subminiature surface-mount discrete devices, analog power management ICs and Hall-effect sensors.

Moreover, the company’s focus on high-growth areas such as connected cars, high-end servers and storage, 5G and IoT are major growth drivers for 2020

The stock carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a Growth Score of A.

Zacks Top 10 Stocks for 2020

In addition to the stocks discussed above, would you like to know about our 10 top tickers for the entirety of 2020?

These 10 are painstakingly hand-picked from over 4,000 companies covered by the Zacks Rank. They are our primary picks to buy and hold. Start Your Access to the New Zacks Top 10 Stocks >>