Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) became the latest member of the FAANG-plus-Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) group to deliver bad news on Nov. 6. Specifically, AAPL reported that shipments of its iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max would be below its previous outlook. The hardware giant blamed supply issues caused by Chinese anti-coronavirus measures for its miss, which strikes me as odd since I remember the company managing to deliver fairly great results during the heart of the pandemic. But in any event, the FAANG-plus-Microsoft names, which for many years were viewed as beyond approach by the Street, now seem to be on their heels. But recent data supports my view that now is, nonetheless, a very good time to look for excellent tech stocks to buy.
Specifically, Reuters, citing Bank of America data, reported that, in the week that ended Oct. 26, “inflows of $2.3 billion” poured into “tech equities.” That was the largest such inflow in seven months, the news service reported. In the overall stock market, there were inflows of nearly $23 billion during the same week, also representing the largest such gain in seven months.
So with a bull market looking poised to develop despite the struggles of Big Tech, here are seven strong tech stocks to buy now.
| BIDU | Baidu | $79.48 |
| DGII | Digi International | $36.43 |
| GEVO | Gevo | $1.81 |
| HLIT | Harmonic | $13.14 |
| ANET | Arista Networks | $122.92 |
| SMCI | Super Micro Computer | $76.49 |
| JD | JD.com | $42.46 |
Baidu (BIDU)
One of the top tech stocks to buy is Baidu (NASDAQ:BIDU). Like many of its Chinese peers, has dropped sharply due to fears about U.S.-China relations and anti-coronavirus measures undertaken by Beijing. In fact Baidu, which owns China’s leading search engine, has a forward price-earnings ratio of just 9.8. That’s extremely low for a profitable tech company like Baidu, which has a strong business and is generating significant growth on the top and bottom lines.
But the news appears to be improving for Chinese stocks in general, making the Street less fearful of them. Specifically, American officials recently completed their first round of inspections sooner than expected without any apparent negative repercussions for any companies. And multiple, recent reports have indicated that the country is preparing to meaningfully ease its anti-coronavirus measures. Given these developments, Baidu stock should climb significantly in the coming weeks and months.
Meanwhile, defying skeptics who say that robotaxis are still many years away from massive adoption, Baidu, using its Apollo autonomous-driving software, has launched robotaxis in more than ten Chinese cities. In the longer term, this business could become a tremendous revenue and profit generator for Baidu, launching BIDU stock much higher.
Digi International (DGII)
Another one of the top tech stocks to buy is Digi International (NASDAQ:DGII), which produces and provides services for Internet of Things is expected to benefit from the proliferation of 5G technology. Among the company’s key products are “radio frequency modems to gateways, cellular routers, networking devices, embedded system-on-modules,” and platforms that monitor devices.
Among its customers are a number of major U.S. urban transit systems, Nobel Water, a major water-infrastructure company, irrigation-solutions provider Valmont (NYSE:VMI), and medical-wearables startup LASARRUS. The latter start-up has received funding from Intel (NASDAQ:INTC).
For the second quarter, Digi reported that its revenue jumped 32% year-over-year to $104 million, nearly $8 million above analysts’ average estimate. Meanwhile, its earnings per share, excluding certain items, came in at 45 cents. Analysts, on average, predict that its 2023 EPS will come in at $1.93 next year, up from $1.62 in 2022.
Although DGII stock has climbed 50% so far in 2022, the forward price-earnings ratio of DGII stock is a quite reasonable 21.
Gevo (GEVO)
Though it’s not a traditional tech stock, Gevo (NASDAQ:GEVO) has developed an important, new technology that’s going to become an important part of our economy: sustainable airlines fuel.
I used to be skeptical about Gevo, but as the company has kept the massive, new deals with airlines rolling in, I’ve become a real believer in the company and in GEVO stock. Just in the last several weeks, Gevo has announced two, new, impressive agreements with major airlines. Further, the company is starting to sign deals with airlines in many different parts of the world, showing that it’s becoming a true international player in the SAF space.
Specifically, on Nov. 2 the company unveiled a 6 million gallon per year, five-year agreement with Iberia Airlines that Gevo says is going to be worth a total of $165 million. On Oct. 25, Qatar Airways got into the act, as Gevo announced that the Middle Eastern airlines would purchase 5 million gallons of SAF from it starting in 2028.
“The agreement with Qatar…. supports Gevo’s efforts in pursuit of its stated goal of producing and commercializing a billion gallons of SAF by 2030,” Gevo stated in conjunction with the announcement.
And on Oct. 10, the company reported that it “has approximately 375 million gallons per year of…SAF and hydrocarbon fuel supply agreements” that should bring its annual revenue to about $2.3 billion.
Yet the stock’s market capitalization is only $444.46 million. Given the company’s projected annual revenue total and many airlines’ apparent devotion to spending a great deal of money on SAF, GEVO is an excellent tech stock to buy now.
Harmonic (HLIT)
Another one of the top tech stocks to buy, Harmonic (NASDAQ:HLIT) sells “video delivery software, products, system solutions, and services worldwide.” The company also provides networks that are used to manage broadband systems. Among its customers are traditional broadcasters, cable channels, streaming channels, and cable providers.
It’s very likely that, as more people around the world become middle class and more and more consumers stream video of themselves on social media, the use of video technologies is increasing exponentially. HLIT appears to be very well-positioned to benefit from this trend. Harmonic can also exploit the deployment of new broadband systems in many nations, including the U.S.
Given these points, I’m not surprised that the company’s revenue jumped 23% year-over-year in the third quarter, with its broadband sales soaring 60% versus the same period a year earlier. Its operating income, excluding certain items, came in at $18.2 million, way up from $11.8 million during the same period a year earlier.
HLIT stock has outperformed by a wide margin this year, jumping 17%. However, with the stock trading at a reasonable forward price-earnings ratio of 19.3, it has room to climb much further.
Arista Networks (ANET)
Arista (NYSE:ANET) sells cloud networking solutions. The company is benefiting from the continued, rapid proliferation of the cloud, data centers, and the edge along with new, lucrative products that it has introduced in recent quarters.
Among Arista’s recently introduced products are its updated routing platform and an encrypted data-transit offering. Additionally, Arista reports that, unlike its competitors, its systems can handle many updates “with zero down time.” Meanwhile, the company says that it offers more automation than its peers, enabling data centers to set up networking systems “within just a few days with no human intervention or error.” Previously, the process took at least “several months,” according to Arista.
On Nov. 4, Piper Sandler analyst James Fish raised his rating on ANET stock to “overweight” from “neutral.” After attending the company’s Analyst Day, his view of the company’s outlook has improved, and he views its “risk-reward” ratio as positive.
Super Micro Computer (SMCI)
Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:SMCI) develops and sells a variety of tech products, including “server, AI, storage, IoT, and switch systems.” However, it specializes in server, processor, and storage products.
The company’s focus on selling products to companies, as opposed to consumers, is insulating it from the impact of greatly reduced spending by consumers on PCs, smartphones, and other tech products.
As evidence of that point, consider that, in its fiscal first quarter, its top line jumped an incredible 80% year-over-year to $12.85 billion, while exceeding analysts’ average estimate by $130 million. And impressively, despite the high inflation rates and supply-chain issues, its gross margin came in at 18.8%, up from 17,.6% during the previous quarter. Finally, on the bottom line, its net income climbed to $184 million from $141 million in the previous quarter and $25 million during the same period a year earlier.
Among the other upbeat catalysts that are boosting the company and likely to continue doing so are strong demand for its GPU chips for use in AI and the proliferation of 5G technology. “We are off to a great start for fiscal 2023, and we expect our unprecedented growth momentum to continue,” CEO Charles Liang said on the company’s Q1 earnings conference call held on Nov. 1.
SMCI stock has jumped 40% in the last month and 78% this year, but it still has a tiny price-earnings ratio of just 9.6.
JD.com (JD)
I’ll end this list much the way I began it: with a large-cap, undervalued Chinese tech firm that has an excellent business and a stock that’s gathering momentum as Beijing prepares to ease its anti-coronavirus measures. It’s another one of the top tech stocks to buy.
JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) specializes in e-commerce but also charges other companies for utilizing its expansive logistics network within China. The Asian nation’s reopening should cause the country’s economy to meaningfully accelerate in the medium-term to longer term, greatly lifting the demand for the products on JD.com’s website. The reopening should also be very positive for its logistics network as other Chinese retailers also benefit greatly from the nation’s reopening.
Analysts’ estimates, most of which probably do not take into account China’s reopening, call for the company to grow significantly next year. Specifically, analysts, on average, expect its revenue to climb to $172 billion in 2023, up from $147.4 billion in 2022. And their mean earnings per share estimate for 2023 is $2.75, well above the $2.05 average EPS outlook for this year.
JD stock jumped 18% in the five days of trading that ended on Nov. 8, but its forward price-earnings ratio of 15.8 is quite low, and its trailing price-sales ratio of 0.5 is really tiny.
On the date of publication, Larry Ramer did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.