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...
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...
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 |