2015 Top Stock Picks: NVAX, SWKS, AMBA

top stock picksThe Money Morning 2015 top stock picks have significantly outperformed the broader market in 2015.  The leading stock pick is up more than 80% so far this year, compared to the Dow's 1.5%.

Our top stock picks that have performed the best in 2015 show biotech is still red-hot. But elsewhere in tech, particularly in semiconductors, we see another exciting market development for 2015...

Here's a closer look at what's driving our top stock picks higher...

2015 Top Stock Picks: Biotech and Tech Dominate

Our 2015 top stock picks list still has the same two biotech names, Prothena Corp. Plc. (Nasdaq: PRTA) and Lannett Co. Inc. (NYSE: LCI), leading the pack. They've only pushed higher this week. PRTA is up 82.2% and LCI is up 57.2% this year.

Novavax Inc. (Nasdaq: NVAX) is in the No. 3 spot. NVAX stock is up 45.9% on the year.

This ranking is significant because after gaining as much as 63.7% on the year, the small-cap vaccine maker experienced a big sell-off. It was trading as high as $9.71 a share on March 19, before falling all the way to $7.58 - a 21.9% drop - just a week later. It's reversed and is moving back up. Shares traded up to $8.65 at yesterday's close (Thursday), a 14.1% gain since it bottomed out.

Some of the more intriguing names on our top stocks list this week, however, are in tech. Particularly in semiconductors.

Ambarella Inc. (Nasdaq: AMBA) is a chipmaker. Its chip technology can be found in security cameras, automotive cameras and wearable video cameras (think X-games). Money Morning Defense and Tech Specialist Michael Robinson discussed AMBA stock back in August.

Then there's Skyworks Solutions Inc. (Nasdaq: SWKS), a leading chip firm that is a great play on wireless connectivity and the Internet of Everything.

For a full list of our top performing stock picks so far in 2015, check out the table below...

Money Morning's Top Stocks 2015

Biotech is still hot. And with the Nasdaq pushing to new record-highs, above levels first seen 15 years ago, there's no shortage of praise to be heaped onto the sector. But this week was also shows that tech is on a roll, particularly semiconductors. Out 2015 top stocks list this week shows that 2015 has been for both biotech and chipmakers.

Here are our top 10 for year-to-date gains as of the April 23 close:

 

Name Symbol 2015 Gain %
Prothena Corp. Plc PRTA 82.2
Lannett Co. Inc. LCI 57.2
Novavax Inc. NVAX 45.9
JD.com Inc. JD 45.5
Ambarella Inc. AMBA 44.8
U.S. Silica Holdings Inc. SLCA 40.1
Boston Scientific Corp. BSX 39.0
Skyworks Solutions Inc. SWKS 31.8
Thoratec Corp. THOR 31.8
Alon USA Energy Inc. ALJ 30.2

 

Continue on your path to better investing with our newest list of the best stocks to invest in now. This week, we're looking to tech, China, and U.S. dollar, with these 19 picks right here...