This week, four pharmaceutical stocks are improving their overall rating on Portfolio Grader. Each of these rates an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).
Top 5 Casino Companies To Invest In Right Now: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (TSM)
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan-based company principally engaged in the research, development, manufacture and distribution of integrated circuit (IC) related products. The Company operates its businesses through wafer manufacture, mask production, wafer testing and packaging components. The Company also involves in the provision of production management, customer services and design services. Its products and services are applied in the manufacture of personal computers and peripheral products, information related products, wire and wireless communication systems, automobile and industrial equipment, as well as consumer electronic products, such as digital disk players, digital televisions (TVs), game consoles, digital cameras, among others. Its customers include Altera, AMD, Broadcom, Marvell, NVIDIA, Qualcomm, Analog Devices, Freescale, NXP and Texas Instruments, among others. In July 2010, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. acquired mechanical and engineering equipment from ASML HONG KONG LTD. In September 2010, the Company acquired a set of equipments from ASML HONG KONG LTD. In December 2010, the Company acquired a set of equipment from TOKYO ELECTRON LTD., KLA-TENCOR CORP. and NOVELLUS SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL,B.V. In January 2011, the Company announced that it had acquired a set of equipment from KLA-TENCOR CORP., a set of equipment and facility, and another set of equipment from VARIAN SEMI. EQUIP. ASSOCIATES GmbH. In March 2011, the Company acquired a set of equipments from Rudolph Technologies, Inc.In March 2011, the Company acquired a set of equipments from Rudolph Technologies, Inc. In May 2011, it acquired a set of equipments form APPLIED MATERIALS SOUTH EAST ASIA PACIFIC LTD., Hamatech APE Gmbh and CO. KG, TOKYO ELECTRON LTD., DAINIPPON SCREEN MFG. CO., LTD., and VARIAN SEMI. EQUIP. ASSOCIATES GMBH.
TSMC's customers include semiconductor companies, ranging from fabless semiconductor and systems companies, such as Advanced Micro Devices, In! c., Altera Corporation, Broadcom Corporation, Marvell Semiconductor Inc., MediaTek Inc., nVidia Corporation and Qualcomm Incorporated, to integrated device manufacturers, such as LSI Corporation, STMicroelectronics and Texas Instruments Inc. Fabless semiconductor and system companies accounted for approximately 80%, and integrated device manufacturers accounted for approximately 20% of its net sales as of December 31, 2009.
The Company manufactures semiconductors using CMOS and BiCMOS processes. The BiCMOS process combines the speed of the bipolar circuitry and the power consumption and density of the CMOS circuitry. It uses the CMOS process to manufacture logic semiconductors, memory semiconductors, including static random access memory (SRAM), flash memory, mixed-signal/ radio frequency (RF) semiconductors, which combine analog and digital circuitry in a single semiconductor, micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS), which combines micrometer featured mechanical parts, analog and digital circuitry in a single semiconductor, and embedded memory semiconductors, which combine logic and memory in a single semiconductor. The BiCMOS process is used to make high-end mixed-signal and other types of semiconductors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ashraf Eassa]
Is the tide turning?
According to Digitimes, chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM ) , or TSMC, has apparently begun to see an uptick in orders from PC-levered names such as AMD (NYSE: AMD ) and NVIDIA. (Intel builds its chips at its own manufacturing plants). While this is mildly positive for TSMC, which is also levered to the fast-growing mobile markets, it could end up being very positive for Intel and the PC-levered names in general. - [By Sean Williams]
One name of particular interest here is Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM ) , which recently introduced what could be the new wave of process technology known as FinFET. Taiwan Semi certainly isn't as well known as its peers, but the complexity of FinFET, and Taiwan Semi's more than fourfold increase in capital expenditures 2009, could be what secures KLA-Tencor many future control and yield contracts.�
- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
The Korea Times is reporting that�Apple� (NASDAQ: AAPL ) has cut Samsung out of producing its next-generation A7 chip. The Mac maker continues to diversify its component supplier base away from Samsung. Apple has already begun moving display sourcing to�LG Display� (NYSE: LPL ) . The A7 business is reportedly going to�Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing� (NYSE: TSM ) and its 20-nanometer process. The transition could hurt Samsung, since it would be left with excess unused. Samsung has supposedly been trying to grow its business with�NVIDIA� (NASDAQ: NVDA ) to mitigate the risk of losing some Apple business.
- [By Motley Fool Staff]
Ashraf Eassa: Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE: TSM ) is looking pretty good to me. Given the enormous capital requirements associated with owning and operating chip manufacturing plants, many companies choose to outsource the production of their designs to third parties.
Best Semiconductor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Analog Devices Inc (ADI)
Analog Devices, Inc. (Analog Devices), incorporated on January 18, 1965, is engaged in the design, manufacture and marketing of a range of analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing integrated circuits (ICs). The Company produces a range of products, including data converters, amplifiers and linear products, radio frequency (RF) ICs, power management products, sensors based on micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS) technology and other sensors, and processing products, including DSP and other processors, which are designed to meet the needs of a base of customers. The Company's products are embedded inside many different types of electronic equipment, including industrial process control systems; instrumentation and measurement systems; wireless infrastructure equipment, and aerospace and defense electronics. The Company designs , manufactures and markets a range of ICs, which incorporate analog, mixed-signal and digital signal processing technologies. The Company's product portfolio includes both general-purpose products used by a range of customers and applications, as well as application-specific products. On March 30, 2012, the Company acquired Multigig, Inc.
Analog Products
The Company's product portfolio includes several thousand analog ICs. The Company's analog IC customers include original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and customers who build electronic subsystems for integration into larger systems. The Company is a supplier of data converter products. Data converters translate real-world analog signals into digital data and also translate digital data into analog signals. The Company is also a supplier of amplifiers. Amplifiers are used to condition analog signals. The Company provides precision, instrumentation, intermediate frequency/radio frequency (RF), broadband, and other amplifiers. The Company also offers a range of precision voltage references, which are used in a range of applications. The Company's analog product line also includes a range port! folio of RF ICs covering the RF signal chain, from RF function blocks, such as phase locked loops, frequency synthesizers, mixers, modulators, demodulators, and power detectors, to broadband and short-range single chip transceiver solutions.
The Company's RF ICs support the requirements of cellular infrastructure and a range of applications in the Company's target markets. Also within the Company's analog technology portfolio are products, which are based on MEMS technology. This technology enables the Company to build small sensors, which incorporate an electromechanical structure and the supporting analog circuitry for conditioning signals obtained from the sensing element. The Company's MEMS product portfolio includes accelerometers used to sense acceleration, gyroscopes used to sense rotation, inertial measurement units used to sense multiple degrees of freedom combining multiple sensing types along multiple axis, and MEMS microphones used to sense audio. The Company's current revenue from MEMS products is derived from the automotive end market. In addition to the Company's MEMS products, its other analog product category includes isolators. The Company's isolators have been designed for applications, such as universal serial bus isolation in patient monitors, where it allows hospitals and physicians to adopt the advances in computer technology to supervise patient health and wirelessly transmit medical records. In smart metering applications, the Company's isolators provide electrostatic discharge performance. In satellites, where any malfunction can be catastrophic, the Company's isolators help protect the power system while enabling designers to achieve small form factors. Power management & reference products make up the balance of the Company's analog sales. Those products, which include functions such as power conversion, driver monitoring, sequencing and energy management, are developed to complement analog signal chain components across core market segments from micro power, en! ergy-sens! itive battery applications to power systems in infrastructure and industrial applications.
Digital Signal Processing Products
Digital Signal Processing products (DSPs) complete the Company's product portfolio. DSPs are optimized for numeric calculations, which are essential for instantaneous, or real-time, processing of digital data generated, from analog to digital signal conversion. The Company's DSPs are designed to be fully programmable and to execute specialized software programs, or algorithms, associated with processing digitized real-time, real-world data. Programmable DSPs are designed to provide the flexibility to modify the device's function using software. The Company's DSP IC customers write their own algorithms using software development tools provided by the Company and third-party suppliers. The Company's DSPs are designed in families of products, which share common architectures and therefore can execute the same software across a range of products. The Company's customers use the Company's products to solve a range of signal processing challenges across its core market and segment focus areas within the industrial, automotive, consumer and communications end markets. As an integrated part of the Company's customers' signal chain, there are other Analog Devices products connected to its processors, including converters, audio and video codecs and power management solutions.
The Company competes with Broadcom Corporation, Maxim Integrated Products, Inc., Cirrus Logic, Inc., Microchip Technology, Inc., Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., NXP Semiconductors, Infineon Technologies, ST Microelectronics, Intersil Corporation, Silicon Laboratories, Inc., Knowles Electronics, Texas Instruments, Inc. and Linear Technology Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tyler Laundon]
Analog Devices (ADI) is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the motion-sensing space, with a market cap of $15.87 billion. STM Electronics (STM) is a slightly smaller manufacturer; its market cap is $7.6 billion.
Best Semiconductor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Advantest Corp (ATE)
Advantest Corporation, incorporated in December 1954, is a part of Advantest group. The Company operates in three segments: semiconductor and component test system segment; mechatronics system segment, focusing on peripheral devices including test handlers and device interfaces, and services, support and others segment. The semiconductor and component test system segment provides customers with test system products for the semiconductor industry and the electronic component industry. The mechatronics system segment focuses on peripheral devices to the semiconductor and component test systems. The services, support and others segment consists of comprehensive customer solutions provided in connection with the semiconductor and component test system and mechatronics system segments, support services and an equipment lease business.
Semiconductor and Component Test Systems Segment
Semiconductor and component test systems are used during the semiconductor and electronic component manufacturing process to confirm that a semiconductor functions properly. Semiconductor and component test systems consist of test systems for memory semiconductors and test systems for non memory semiconductors. Advantest�� test systems for memory semiconductors are test systems designed to test high-speed/high performance dynamic random access memory (DRAM) semiconductors used in equipment such as personal computers and servers, as well as flash memory semiconductors used in digital consumer products.
Test systems for memory semiconductors consist of a mainframe and one or more test heads. During testing, a device interface is attached to the test head. During the front-end testing process, wafers are loaded by a prober and are connected to the test system for memory semiconductors through the device interface. Electric signals between the die and the test systems for memory semiconductors are transmitted through probe pins located in the device interface and tested. After front-end te! sting is completed, the wafer is diced into separate dies and properly functioning dies are packaged. During back-end testing, test handlers are used to load these packaged devices onto the test heads, and electric signals are transmitted between the devices and the test heads via the device interface and tested. The test results are analyzed by the test systems for memory semiconductors��hardware circuits and software programs. Customized software programs for each semiconductor are required to analyze the semiconductor tests and test data.
Advantest�� main product lines of test systems for memory semiconductors are the T5500 series, the T5300 series and the T5700 series. The T5593 is a test system targeted at the market for high speed memory semiconductors, such as DDR2- Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory (SDRAM) and Synchronous Graphics Random Access Memory (SGRAM). The T5383 is a multi-functional test system for memory semiconductors that reduces testing costs for semiconductor manufacturers. Advantest�� main line of test systems for non memory semiconductors relates to test systems for SoC semiconductors, test systems for liquid crystal display (LCD) driver integrated circuits and test systems for semiconductors used in car electronics. The T6577 test systems for SoC semiconductors in the T6500 series were primarily developed to test micro controller unit (MCU) and SoC semiconductors that control digital consumer products at the production lines. The T6300 series are test systems for LCD driver integrated circuits used with high-definition LCD displays. The T7721, T7722 and T7723 are test systems for non memory semiconductors for mixed signal integrated circuits. The T8571A is a test system for non memory semiconductors that is primarily used to evaluate and analyze CCDs which are image sensors.
Mechatronics System Segment
The Main products in the Mechatronics System Segment are test handlers which handle semiconductor devices and automate the te! sting, an! d device interfaces which are the interfaces with devices being tested. Test handlers are used with semiconductor and component test systems to handle, condition temperature, contact and sort semiconductors and other electronic components during the back-end testing of the semiconductor manufacturing process. Advantest�� test handlers are sold primarily in conjunction with the sale of its semiconductor and component test systems. The M6242 test handler for test systems for memory semiconductors, including DDR-3SDRAM, can handle up to 512 semiconductors at a time. Advantest�� test handlers for non memory semiconductors, including SoC semiconductors, are the M4841, the M4741A and the M4742A, among others.
Advantest develops and manufactures device interfaces for semiconductor and component test systems and supplies device interfaces, such as high performance and high density connectors, socket boards and sockets. For test systems for memory semiconductors, Advantest provides motherboards capable of handling a maximum of 512 semiconductors at a time. For test systems for non memory semiconductors, Advantest provides motherboards that are compatible with a maximum of 3,072 signals. Advantest also provides motherboards designed for use in front-end testing. Advantest provides custom manufacturing of socket boards and performance boards for each device under test in accordance with customers��specifications.
Advantest provides sockets for test systems for memory semiconductors. Advantest provides low-inductance (0.4nH) sockets and fine pitch (0.4mm) sockets for semiconductors that are becoming more high-speed and more compact in size. Advantest provides carrying and contacting mechanism components compatible with each device under test for test handlers for memory semiconductors and test handlers for non memory semiconductors.
Services, Support and Others Segment
In the services, support and others segment, Advantest has focused on maintenance serv! ices, suc! h as installation and repair of Advantest�� products. It also focused on lease and rental services of its products as a part of Advantest�� effort to provide customers with comprehensive solutions.
The Company competes with Teradyne, Inc., Verigy Ltd., LTX-Credence Corporation, Yokogawa Electronic Corporation, FROM30 CO., LTD., EXICON Ltd., UniTest Inc., Delta Design, Inc., Seiko Epson Corporation, Mirae Corporation, TechWing, Inc., TSE Co., Ltd. and Secron Co., Ltd.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Carroll]
Nissan's done better this year than electronics maker Advantest (NYSE: ATE ) , but this stock absolutely blew up over the past week. Advantest's shares shot higher by more than 9%, wiping out pessimism over the company's weak earnings released a few weeks ago. Advantest's net loss and operating profit both fell below its guidance, and despite this week's investor optimism, the future's murky for this company. Financial site TheStreet downgraded the stock last week, citing Advantest's falling earnings, among other issues.
Best Semiconductor Companies To Watch In Right Now: Advanced Photonix Inc (API)
Advanced Photonix, Inc. (API), incorporated in June 22, 1988, is engaged in the development and manufacture of optoelectronic devices and value-added sub-systems and systems. The Company serves a variety of global original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in a variety of industries. API supports its customers from the initial concept and design phase of the product, through testing to full-scale production. API has two manufacturing facilities located in Camarillo, California and Ann Arbor, Michigan. API is a supplier of optoelectronic semiconductors packaged into high-speed optical receivers, custom optoelectronic subsystems and Terahertz instrumentation, serving a variety of global OEM markets. API supports the customer from the initial concept and design of the semiconductor, hybridization of support electronics, packaging and signal conditioning or processing from prototype through full-scale production and validation testing. The target markets served by it are industrial sensing/NDT, military/aerospace, telecom, medical and homeland security. On March 1, 2013, it acquired certain assets of Silonex, Inc.
The Company�� high-speed optical receivers include avalanche photodiode (APD) technology and positive-intrinsic-negative (PIN) photodiode technology based upon III-V materials, including InP, InAlAs, and GaAs. Its optoelectronic subsystems are based on its silicon large area avalanche photodiode (LAAPD), PIN photodiode, FILTRODE detectors and light emitting diode (LED) assemblies. API�� Terahertz sensor product line is targeted at the industrial homeland security and military markets. Using its fiber coupled technology and high speed Terahertz generation and detection sensors, the Company is engaged in transferring Terahertz technology from the laboratory to the factory floor for use in non-destructive testing and real time quality control.
The Company competes with First Sensor, Illinois Tool Works, JDS Uniphase, Neophotonix, U2T and Nippon Electric.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Patricio Kehoe]
In 2010, the company acquired privately held Nimsoft, a provider of IT performance monitoring solutions for $350 million in cash. In Sep 2010, CA signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hyperformix Inc. Recently; it acquired Layer 7 Technologies, a leading provider of Application Programming Interface (API) security and management. Furthermore, the acquisition of Arcot Systems Inc., a privately held company that provides authentication and fraud prevention software, in a move to boost its security offerings. These acquisitions have helped the firm to strengthen its cloud computing infrastructure and would also help to generate better profitability from the existing technology assets.
- [By Bryan Murphy]
When most investors think of optical sensor makers, they tend to think of larger names like Honeywell International Inc.� (NYSE:HON) or Vishay Intertechnology (NYSE:VSH). And well they should. VSH is a $2 billion company, and HON is a $71.5 billion organization. The fact is, however, there are a few small cap stocks in the optical sensor space that are worth a look, and one of them is worth a very close look right now for a very clear reason... Advanced Photonix, Inc. (NYSEMKT:API).
- [By Monica Gerson]
Advanced Photonix (NYSE: API) is expected to post a Q4 loss at $0.01 per share on revenue of $7.04 million.
Sport Chalet (NASDAQ: SPCHB) is projected to post its quarterly earnings.
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