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Biggest Semiconductors Sector Movers, Including ALTR
The market has been doing well after the morning's trading. The Nasdaq is up 0.8%; the S&P 500 has risen 0.7%; and the Dow has climbed 0.6%.
Underperforming the market overall, the Semiconductors sector (XLK) is up 0.7%, and these are its current biggest movers:
Forex Broker Summary: Forex Capital Markets (FXCM)
Tower Semiconductor Ltd (Nasdaq:TSEM) is trading at $10.10 per share, a significant rise of 12.1%. So far today, the company's volume is 38,940 shares, 1.7 times the average daily volume. As a stock moves up or down, it is important to pay attention to the trading volume. This indicates the level of interest: the higher the volume, the more the interest. Valuation ratios allow the investor to make a quick determination as to a company's investment value. The debt ratio gives users a quick measure of the amount of debt that the company has on its balance sheets compared to its assets. TSEM has a high debt ratio of 82.5%. This means that most of the company's assets are financed through debt. However, one thing to note with this ratio: it isn't a pure measure of a company's debt (or indebtedness), as it also includes operational liabilities, such as accounts payable and taxes payable.
Freescale Semiconductor Holdings (NYSE:FSL) rose a significant 10.1% to reach $12.32 per share. The company is currently trading a volume of 991,799 shares. If a stock price moves on high volume, this means that the change is a significant one. When estimating the value of a particular investment, valuation ratios provide a good basis for assessing the value of an individual stock. In a nutshell, the price/sales ratio shows how much Wall Street values every dollar of the company's sales. FSL's P/S ratio of 0.61 is fairly low. Low P/S ratios can indicate unrecognized value potential - so long as other criteria like high profit margins, low debt levels and growth prospects are in place. It is important to keep in mind when looking at the P/S ratio that just because a company is generating revenues, this does not mean that the company is profitable, and in the long run, profits drive stock prices.
Power Integrations (Nasdaq:POWI) is trading at $34.65 per share, down 7.1%. At 440,996 shares, the company's volume so far today is 1.5 times its average over the past three months. Volume is an important indicator because it indicates how significant a price shift is. A company's investment value can be estimated using valuation ratios such as the price to earnings (P/E) ratio, the price to earnings growth (PEG) ratio, the price to sales (P/S) ratio, the price to book (P/B) ratio, and the dividend yield. When used consistently and uniformly, the price/earnings to growth (PEG) ratio is an essential tool that adds dimension to the price/earnings ratio, allows comparisons across diverse industries and is always on the lookout for value. POWI has a PEG ratio of 2.93, which is consistent with the industry average. While P/E ratios are important indicators of market value, a high P/E in and of itself is not bad because it may indicate a company whose earnings are growing very rapidly, so many investors look at the PEG ratio in order to get an idea of whether or not a particular P/E ratio is justified by underlying earnings growth.
Rising 5.9%, First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) is currently trading at $20.19 per share. The company is trading at a volume of six million shares. This is about the same trading activity as there was yesterday. Volume indicates the level of interest that investors have in a company at its current price. Investment valuation ratios can be very useful in estimating whether a stock price is too high, reasonable or a bargain investment opportunity. The price/book value ratio is one of the more common methods of determining whether a stock is fairly valued. The P/B ratio for FSLR is 0.55 because the stock is trading for less than its book value. This could mean that either the market believes the asset value is overstated, or the company is earning a very poor (even negative) return on its assets. One problem with the P/B value ratio is that it can be difficult to calculate the true book value of a company, so investors should be aware that many measures of book value may provide only a rough estimate, and should be taken with a grain of salt. SEE: Investment Valuation Ratios: Price/Book Value Ratio
NXP (Nasdaq:NXPI) is up 4.8% to reach a current price of $23.95 per share. So far today, the company's volume is 1.6 million shares, 0.8 times its current daily average. The trading volume for a stock indicates the level of investor interest. Valuation ratios include the price to earnings (P/E) ratio, the price to earnings growth (PEG) ratio, the price to sales (P/S) ratio, the price to book (P/B) ratio, and the dividend yield. The debt ratio measures the leverage of a company, and a company's leverage is a good way to assess risk. NXPI has a debt ratio of 84.5%, which is on the high side. This might mean that the company now has low borrowing capacity, which reduces it's financial flexibility. As with all financial ratios, a company's debt ratio should be compared with the industry average or similar companies.
Universal (Nasdaq:PANL) has increased to a share price of $34.54, a 4.8% rise. So far today, the company's volume is 528,524 shares. A stock's volume conveys how excited investors are about it. Investment valuation ratios can be very useful in determining the value of a stock, but it is very important to keep in mind that while some financial ratios have general rules (or a broad application), in most instances it is a prudent practice to look at a company's historical performance and use peer company/industry comparisons to put any given company's ratio in perspective. The price/sales ratio is used for spotting recovery situations or for double-checking that a company's growth has not become overvalued. PANL's P/S ratio of 26.28 is on the high side. In young companies, a high P/S ratio is a sign of sales growth that is expected to turn into earnings and cash flow. All things being equal, a low P/S ratio is good news for investors, while a very high one can be a warning sign.
Altera (Nasdaq:ALTR) has moved up 3.9% and is currently trading at $36.85 per share. So far today, the company's volume is two million shares, in keeping with the average volume over the past three months. Price change alone is not enough to know how a stock is doing. Volume is an important secondary indicator used to confirm trends suggested by price movement. It is important for an investor to estimate the value of any potential or existing investment; valuation ratios make this easier. The capitalization ratio is calculated by dividing long-term debt by the sum of long-term debt and shareholders' equity. The capitalizion ratio of 13.6% is on the low end. Low leverage is a significant balance sheet strength, a sign of a less risky investment. Prudent use of leverage (debt) increases the financial resources available to a company for growth and expansion.
The Bottom Line The nature of the market is such that stocks will have good days and bad days. It is important to weigh current activity against historical performance when making any investment decisions. Keep in mind that all these ratios should be compared against historical numbers and industry information in order to get a more complete picture.
Underperforming the market overall, the Semiconductors sector (XLK) is up 0.7%, and these are its current biggest movers:
| Company | Market Cap | Percentage Change |
| Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (USA) (Nasdaq:TSEM) | $2.9 billion | +12.1% |
| Freescale Semiconductor Holdings I, Ltd. (NYSE:FSL) | $2.78 billion | +10.1% |
| Power Integrations, Inc. (Nasdaq:POWI) | $1.06 billion | -7.1% |
| First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) | $1.65 billion | +5.9% |
| NXP Semiconductors NV (Nasdaq:NXPI) | $5.67 billion | +4.8% |
| Universal Display Corporation (Nasdaq:PANL) | $1.53 billion | +4.8% |
| Altera (Nasdaq:ALTR) | $11.34 billion | +3.9% |
Tower Semiconductor Ltd (Nasdaq:TSEM) is trading at $10.10 per share, a significant rise of 12.1%. So far today, the company's volume is 38,940 shares, 1.7 times the average daily volume. As a stock moves up or down, it is important to pay attention to the trading volume. This indicates the level of interest: the higher the volume, the more the interest. Valuation ratios allow the investor to make a quick determination as to a company's investment value. The debt ratio gives users a quick measure of the amount of debt that the company has on its balance sheets compared to its assets. TSEM has a high debt ratio of 82.5%. This means that most of the company's assets are financed through debt. However, one thing to note with this ratio: it isn't a pure measure of a company's debt (or indebtedness), as it also includes operational liabilities, such as accounts payable and taxes payable.
Freescale Semiconductor Holdings (NYSE:FSL) rose a significant 10.1% to reach $12.32 per share. The company is currently trading a volume of 991,799 shares. If a stock price moves on high volume, this means that the change is a significant one. When estimating the value of a particular investment, valuation ratios provide a good basis for assessing the value of an individual stock. In a nutshell, the price/sales ratio shows how much Wall Street values every dollar of the company's sales. FSL's P/S ratio of 0.61 is fairly low. Low P/S ratios can indicate unrecognized value potential - so long as other criteria like high profit margins, low debt levels and growth prospects are in place. It is important to keep in mind when looking at the P/S ratio that just because a company is generating revenues, this does not mean that the company is profitable, and in the long run, profits drive stock prices.
Power Integrations (Nasdaq:POWI) is trading at $34.65 per share, down 7.1%. At 440,996 shares, the company's volume so far today is 1.5 times its average over the past three months. Volume is an important indicator because it indicates how significant a price shift is. A company's investment value can be estimated using valuation ratios such as the price to earnings (P/E) ratio, the price to earnings growth (PEG) ratio, the price to sales (P/S) ratio, the price to book (P/B) ratio, and the dividend yield. When used consistently and uniformly, the price/earnings to growth (PEG) ratio is an essential tool that adds dimension to the price/earnings ratio, allows comparisons across diverse industries and is always on the lookout for value. POWI has a PEG ratio of 2.93, which is consistent with the industry average. While P/E ratios are important indicators of market value, a high P/E in and of itself is not bad because it may indicate a company whose earnings are growing very rapidly, so many investors look at the PEG ratio in order to get an idea of whether or not a particular P/E ratio is justified by underlying earnings growth.
Rising 5.9%, First Solar (Nasdaq:FSLR) is currently trading at $20.19 per share. The company is trading at a volume of six million shares. This is about the same trading activity as there was yesterday. Volume indicates the level of interest that investors have in a company at its current price. Investment valuation ratios can be very useful in estimating whether a stock price is too high, reasonable or a bargain investment opportunity. The price/book value ratio is one of the more common methods of determining whether a stock is fairly valued. The P/B ratio for FSLR is 0.55 because the stock is trading for less than its book value. This could mean that either the market believes the asset value is overstated, or the company is earning a very poor (even negative) return on its assets. One problem with the P/B value ratio is that it can be difficult to calculate the true book value of a company, so investors should be aware that many measures of book value may provide only a rough estimate, and should be taken with a grain of salt. SEE: Investment Valuation Ratios: Price/Book Value Ratio
NXP (Nasdaq:NXPI) is up 4.8% to reach a current price of $23.95 per share. So far today, the company's volume is 1.6 million shares, 0.8 times its current daily average. The trading volume for a stock indicates the level of investor interest. Valuation ratios include the price to earnings (P/E) ratio, the price to earnings growth (PEG) ratio, the price to sales (P/S) ratio, the price to book (P/B) ratio, and the dividend yield. The debt ratio measures the leverage of a company, and a company's leverage is a good way to assess risk. NXPI has a debt ratio of 84.5%, which is on the high side. This might mean that the company now has low borrowing capacity, which reduces it's financial flexibility. As with all financial ratios, a company's debt ratio should be compared with the industry average or similar companies.
Universal (Nasdaq:PANL) has increased to a share price of $34.54, a 4.8% rise. So far today, the company's volume is 528,524 shares. A stock's volume conveys how excited investors are about it. Investment valuation ratios can be very useful in determining the value of a stock, but it is very important to keep in mind that while some financial ratios have general rules (or a broad application), in most instances it is a prudent practice to look at a company's historical performance and use peer company/industry comparisons to put any given company's ratio in perspective. The price/sales ratio is used for spotting recovery situations or for double-checking that a company's growth has not become overvalued. PANL's P/S ratio of 26.28 is on the high side. In young companies, a high P/S ratio is a sign of sales growth that is expected to turn into earnings and cash flow. All things being equal, a low P/S ratio is good news for investors, while a very high one can be a warning sign.
Altera (Nasdaq:ALTR) has moved up 3.9% and is currently trading at $36.85 per share. So far today, the company's volume is two million shares, in keeping with the average volume over the past three months. Price change alone is not enough to know how a stock is doing. Volume is an important secondary indicator used to confirm trends suggested by price movement. It is important for an investor to estimate the value of any potential or existing investment; valuation ratios make this easier. The capitalization ratio is calculated by dividing long-term debt by the sum of long-term debt and shareholders' equity. The capitalizion ratio of 13.6% is on the low end. Low leverage is a significant balance sheet strength, a sign of a less risky investment. Prudent use of leverage (debt) increases the financial resources available to a company for growth and expansion.
The Bottom Line The nature of the market is such that stocks will have good days and bad days. It is important to weigh current activity against historical performance when making any investment decisions. Keep in mind that all these ratios should be compared against historical numbers and industry information in order to get a more complete picture.
by
Investopedia Staff
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