Published on Nov. 4, 2021
Jason Benowitz Featured in Bloomberg “Micron Earnings to Shed Light on Rare Weak Spot in Chip Stocks”
While repurchases are likely to rise as economic growth continues, corporations may opt to allocate more cash to capital expenditures like technology and factories, according to Jason Benowitz, a senior portfolio manager at Roosevelt Investment Group. He’s not worried about the prospect of reduced buybacks weighing on the broader market. The Philadelphia semiconductor index has gained 23%, beating the S&P 500 Index and the Nasdaq 100 Stock Index. Makers of equipment used in the production of semiconductors have seen the biggest gains, led by Amkor Technology Inc. and ASML Holding. Micron shares are little changed on the year, while Western Digital has gained about 7%. Micron traded 0.9% lower in morning trading in New York.
“The outlook for global growth remains fairly strong for the second half of this year and 2022 once the delta variant subsides,” said Jason Benowitz, senior portfolio manager at Roosevelt Investment Group. “Chip stock action reflects that.” Micron is projected to post revenue of $8.2 billion in its fiscal fourth quarter, an increase of 36% from the same period a year ago, according to the average of analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. Earnings excluding some items are expected to be $2.34 per share, more than twice what it was in the fourth quarter of 2020.