We recently compiled a list of the 8 Unstoppable Tech Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) stands among the unstoppable tech stocks to buy now.
What’s Happening with Big Tech Stocks?
The technology sector has outperformed the market for the past several years. The industry has accounted for more than 30% of the overall market holdings especially led by Big Tech. One of the key factors that skyrocketed the stock prices for these mega-cap tech stocks is the hype around artificial intelligence.
However, we also witnessed the technology sector going into what analysts call an “AI Bubble”, where companies’ revenues are not justifying the large capital expenditure on artificial intelligence. We recently covered the 13 Best American Tech Stocks To Buy According to Short Sellers. We discussed how Big Tech has led the American stock market for several years. Here’s an extract from the article:
This dynamic progress was reflected in the US stock market when it rose more than 3% in the second quarter of 2024. In terms of the trade in artificial intelligence, technology companies remained at the top, and this trend did not appear to be slowing down throughout the quarter. The largest companies have outperformed the market this year, which has been a remarkable trend. The 500 largest companies’ large-cap market saw gains of 4.4% in Q2 YoY, increasing its 2024 return to above 15%. In contrast, the small-cap market saw a 3.3% drop, translating into a 1.6% 2024 return.
Even though technology companies outperformed in Q2 FY2024, Main Street Research’s James Demmert cautions investors not to treat all of them the same. Instead, they should prioritize those tech firms that can deliver consistent earnings, especially in an uncertain economy.
On the other hand, if we look at the recent figures the story tends to present a different picture. Almost a week ago, on August 30, CNBC reported that most of the Magnificent Seven were lower for the week, with investors’ favorite chipmaker taking the biggest hit after it fell short of largely inflated earnings expectations.
Dan Niles, Niles Investment Management founder and portfolio manager, joined CNBC on the same day suggesting investors to look outside of just the Magnificent 7 for the rest of the year. He mentioned that the companies have now declined on average 4% the day after reporting results, against rising 4% after releasing results in the first quarter.
He explained that this downward trend is a fundamental shift, pointing out that if we look at the financials of these stocks and forget the hype for a moment. We will see all these companies reporting their forward revenue estimates going down. Dan Niles acknowledged that it’s popular to talk about AI as these companies are leading the market but at some point, investors want some digestion of the capital expenditure, which has been going up consistently.
The portfolio manager also presented his bull case thesis for the 493 stocks in the S&P 500 stocks. He mentioned that if you look at the market on July 16, this was the time when the S&P 500 hit its all-time high. Since then it has been down around 1%, whereas the Magnificent Seven have been down around 8%.
He mentioned that if you are looking to invest, look for areas that benefit from the rate cuts. Niles mentioned areas like consumer staples, utility, telecom services, and other sectors of the market because he believes that the other 493 stocks will drive the market to new records. Lastly, Niles clarified that he still likes tech stocks but mentioned that it’s the other stocks that are going to benefit from the rate cuts during the rest of the year.
Our Methodology
To curate the list of 8 unstoppable tech stocks to buy now, we used the Finviz stock screener. We screened for technology companies that have gained at least 50% on a year-t0-date basis, as of September 10. We then selected the highest gainers that were the most popular among elite hedge funds. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their year-to-date performance.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
An aerial view of a communications satellite in orbit, beaming its signal down to Earth.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS)
Year-to-date Share Price Gain as of September 10: 434.85%
Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 15
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) is a technology company that is creating a unique network to provide internet service to smartphones directly from space. The company aims to build a constellation of 168 communication satellites costing around $3 billion. It has collaborations with major companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Alphabet to enhance their reach.
Recently, management announced the completion of the first five commercial satellites, which are set to launch in September. Moreover, around 17 more satellites are under production at AST SpaceMobile manufacturing facilities in Texas.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) requires more than $3 billion to fulfill its goal of 168 communication satellites. The company already has $285 million in cash reserves, however, until recently it received $71 million from a warrant redemption and expects another $84 million by the end of the redemption period. Management has indicated that the company is good to go for the year and this news has had a positive effect on investor sentiment.
Moreover, its strategic partnership with AT&T and Verizon is expected to add 850 MHz of premium spectrum with 100% geographical coverage and is expected to reach around 70% of US mobile users.
The stock has gained more than 434% on a year-to-date basis. ASTS was held by 15 hedge funds in Q2 2024, with total positions worth $67.38 million. Citadel Investment Group is the top shareholder of the company, with a position worth $17.9 million.
Overall ASTS ranks 2nd on our list of the unstoppable tech stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of ASTS as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a promising AI stock that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure. None. This article was originally published on Insider Monkey.