What Happened?
Shares of network chips maker MACOM Technology Solutions (NASDAQ: MTSI) fell 6.8% in the afternoon session after stocks pulled back (Nasdaq -1.5%, S&P 500 -1.5%) amid fresh concerns about trade tariffs. The pullback followed comments from President Trump clarifying the scope of his administration's 25% tariffs on Venezuela. He noted that it would apply to any country that does business with Venezuela. For example, 25% is on top of the already-in-place 20% tariff on China because China imports oil from Venezuela, which could translate to a 45% tariff on some Chinese goods. This announcement could significantly raise the operating costs for affected companies and institutions.
Adding to the market unease, the President announced plans for new tariffs on auto imports before the planned "reciprocal" tariffs on April 2, 2025.
There were also reports that the U.S. had added more Chinese companies to its trade blacklist, citing national security concerns. As a result, these companies would now need government approval to purchase American technology. Among those affected were tech firms that depended heavily on advanced chips made by U.S. manufacturers, raising concerns about the US chip makers' ability to maintain strong sales in the Chinese market.
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What The Market Is Telling Us
MACOM’s shares are quite volatile and have had 16 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
MACOM is down 18.3% since the beginning of the year, and at $105.75 per share, it is trading 28.9% below its 52-week high of $148.78 from January 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of MACOM’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $5,698.
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