The end of an earnings season can be a great time to discover new stocks and assess how companies are handling the current business environment. Let’s take a look at how Lattice Semiconductor (NASDAQ: LSCC) and the rest of the processors and graphics chips stocks fared in Q3.

The biggest demand drivers for processors (CPUs) and graphics chips at the moment are secular trends related to 5G and Internet of Things, autonomous driving, and high performance computing in the data center space, specifically around AI and machine learning. Like all semiconductor companies, digital chip makers exhibit a degree of cyclicality, driven by supply and demand imbalances and exposure to PC and Smartphone product cycles.

The 9 processors and graphics chips stocks we track reported a mixed Q3. As a group, revenues beat analysts’ consensus estimates by 1.1% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 4.4% below.

While some processors and graphics chips stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 2.5% since the latest earnings results.

Lattice Semiconductor (NASDAQ: LSCC)

A global leader in its category, Lattice Semiconductor (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a semiconductor designer specializing in customer-programmable chips that enhance CPU performance for intensive tasks such as machine learning.

Lattice Semiconductor reported revenues of $127.1 million, down 33.9% year on year. This print was in line with analysts’ expectations, but overall, it was a slower quarter for the company with revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly and an increase in its inventory levels.

Ford Tamer, Chief Executive Officer, said, "Through my meetings with employees, customers, and partners, since joining Lattice, I’m even more convinced that we are in an excellent position to expand market share over the long-term. Third quarter 2024 results were inline with the Company's prior expectations, which reflects the disciplined execution of our strategy and a continued focus on operational efficiency. After careful consideration, we proactively took action in the third quarter to better align our resources to the current business level, while maintaining the stability and integrity of our leadership product roadmap, customer support and demand creation infrastructure. Importantly, we do not expect any additional reductions will be needed. While we expect continued near-term industry headwinds, I am excited about the opportunity to build on Lattice's strong foundation. "

Lattice Semiconductor delivered the slowest revenue growth of the whole group. Interestingly, the stock is up 17% since reporting and currently trades at $60.89.

Read our full report on Lattice Semiconductor here, it’s free.

Best Q3: Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA)

Founded in 1993 by Jensen Huang and two former Sun Microsystems engineers, Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) is a leading fabless designer of chips used in gaming, PCs, data centers, automotive, and a variety of end markets.

Nvidia reported revenues of $35.08 billion, up 93.6% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 5.9%. The business had an exceptional quarter with a solid beat of analysts’ EPS estimates and an impressive beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

Nvidia delivered the biggest analyst estimates beat and fastest revenue growth among its peers. Although it had a fine quarter compared its peers, the market seems unhappy with the results as the stock is down 4.1% since reporting. It currently trades at $139.97.

Is now the time to buy Nvidia? Access our full analysis of the earnings results here, it’s free.

Weakest Q3: SMART (NASDAQ: SGH)

Based in the US, SMART Global Holdings (NASDAQ: SGH) is a diversified semiconductor company offering memory, digital, and LED products.

SMART reported revenues of $311.1 million, down 1.7% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 4.3%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates.

SMART delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates in the group. The stock is flat since the results and currently trades at $21.

Read our full analysis of SMART’s results here.

Allegro MicroSystems (NASDAQ: ALGM)

The result of a spinoff from Sanken in Japan, Allegro MicroSystems (NASDAQ: ALGM) is a designer of power management chips and distance sensors used in electric vehicles and data centers.

Allegro MicroSystems reported revenues of $187.4 million, down 32% year on year. This number met analysts’ expectations. Taking a step back, it was a slower quarter as it recorded revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations and a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.

The stock is down 2% since reporting and currently trades at $21.78.

Read our full, actionable report on Allegro MicroSystems here, it’s free.

Qorvo (NASDAQ: QRVO)

Formed by the merger of TriQuint and RF Micro Devices, Qorvo (NASDAQ: QRVO) is a designer and manufacturer of RF chips used in almost all smartphones globally, along with a variety of chips used in networking equipment and infrastructure.

Qorvo reported revenues of $1.05 billion, down 5.2% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.8%. Zooming out, it was a satisfactory quarter as it also logged a solid beat of analysts’ adjusted operating income estimates but revenue guidance for next quarter missing analysts’ expectations significantly.

The stock is down 29.1% since reporting and currently trades at $71.30.

Read our full, actionable report on Qorvo here, it’s free.

Market Update

Thanks to the Fed's series of rate hikes in 2022 and 2023, inflation has cooled significantly from its post-pandemic highs, drawing closer to the 2% goal. This disinflation has occurred without severely impacting economic growth, suggesting the success of a soft landing. The stock market has thrived in 2024, spurred by recent rate cuts (0.5% in September and 0.25% each in November and December), and a notable surge followed Donald Trump's presidential election win in November, propelling indices to historic highs. Nonetheless, the outlook for 2025 remains clouded by the pace and magnitude of future rate cuts as well as potential changes in trade policy and corporate taxes once the Trump administration takes over. The path forward is marked by uncertainty.

Want to invest in winners with rock-solid fundamentals? Check out our Hidden Gem Stocks and add them to your watchlist. These companies are poised for growth regardless of the political or macroeconomic climate.

Join Paid Stock Investor Research

Help us make StockStory more helpful to investors like yourself. Join our paid user research session and receive a $50 Amazon gift card for your opinions. Sign up here.