In this article, we will list the 5 Best Performing Semiconductor Stocks So Far in 2026. Please visit 10 Best Performing Semiconductor Stocks So Far in 2026 to see the extended list and the methodology behind it.
5. Navitas Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:NVTS)
Year-to-Date Performance: 198.60%
Navitas Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:NVTS) is one of the best performing semiconductor stocks so far in 2026. On May 5, Navitas Semiconductor reported Q1 2026 total revenue of $8.6 million, representing an 18% sequential increase from Q4 2025, though down from $14.0 million in Q1 2025. This sequential rebound reflects the company’s strategic pivot away from mobile and consumer electronics toward high-power markets, which grew 35% year-over-year and now account for a large majority of total revenue.
Financial performance showed sequential improvement, with the GAAP gross margin recovering to negative 9.3% from negative 17.2% in the prior quarter, while non-GAAP gross margin expanded 30 basis points sequentially to 39.0%. The GAAP operating loss narrowed to $27.8 million, and the non-GAAP operating loss improved slightly to $11.7 million. The company closed the quarter with $221.0 million in cash and cash equivalents.
On the technology front, Navitas Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:NVTS) showcased its GaNFast and GeneSiC power semiconductor capabilities at Nvidia’s GTC and APEC 2026, debuting advanced power delivery boards and solid-state transformer solutions tailored for AI data centers. To guide this high-power business expansion, Tonya Stevens was appointed as CFO. For Q2 2026, management forecasts continued momentum with net revenues expected to grow to approximately $10 million.
Navitas Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:NVTS) is a leader in next-generation power semiconductors, focusing on gallium nitride/GaN and silicon carbide/SiC technologies that enable faster, more efficient power conversion.
4. QuickLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QUIK)
Year-to-Date Performance: 217.80%
QuickLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QUIK) is one of the best performing semiconductor stocks so far in 2026. On May 13, QuickLogic Corporation announced a new discrete FPGA contract with a ceiling value of $2.7 million. Revenue recognition for the agreement is scheduled to begin in Q2 2026 and will extend through Q1 2027.
Under the scope of the contract, QuickLogic will design and tape out FPGA test chips using the GlobalFoundries 12LP fabrication process. The tape-out is slated for 2026, and the resulting test chips will be integrated into a new evaluation kit scheduled for release in late 2026.
The upcoming evaluation kit will feature compatibility with standard third-party development environments, allowing both commercial and Defense Industrial Base/DIB customers to reduce costs and accelerate design timelines. Moving forward, QuickLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QUIK) is also exploring plans to leverage this discrete FPGA as a chiplet for storefront devices to pair with third-party microcontrollers.
QuickLogic Corp. (NASDAQ:QUIK) is a fabless semiconductor company specializing in customizable, low-power programmable logic solutions, including eFPGA Hard IP and radiation-hardened FPGAs. The company combines advanced technology with open-source tools to serve the aerospace, defense, industrial, computing, and consumer markets.
3. Wolfspeed Inc. (NYSE:WOLF)
Year-to-Date Performance: 256.86%
Wolfspeed Inc. (NYSE:WOLF) is one of the best performing semiconductor stocks so far in 2026. On May 5, Wolfspeed reported FQ3 2026 consolidated revenue of ~$150 million, hitting the midpoint of its guidance range. The company recorded a GAAP gross margin of negative 27% and a non-GAAP gross margin of negative 21%, leading to a GAAP net loss of $120 million and an adjusted EBITDA of negative $62 million. Operating cash flow stood at negative $84 million.
To improve its financial flexibility, the company refinanced ~$476 million of first-lien debt. This strategic move reduced Wolfspeed’s total debt balance by $97 million and is projected to lower annual interest expenses by an estimated $62 million. Backed by $1.2 billion in cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments, the company also boosted its equity position by over $400 million, aided by CFIUS clearance and an equity issuance to Renesas.
Operationally, Wolfspeed Inc. (NYSE:WOLF) secured 30% sequential growth in AI data center applications and pivoted its Durham facilities entirely to materials production. The company launched its next-generation TOLT portfolio and introduced the first commercially available 10 kV silicon carbide power MOSFET for grid and data center infrastructure. For FQ4, management expects revenue between $140 and $160 million, with flat operating expenses and remaining negative gross margins.
Wolfspeed Inc. (NYSE:WOLF) is an American company that develops and manufactures wide-bandgap semiconductors. The company focuses on silicon carbide materials and power devices for various applications such as electric vehicles, fast charging, and renewable energy and storage.
2. Everspin Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:MRAM)
Year-to-Date Performance: 304.85%
Everspin Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:MRAM) is one of the best-performing semiconductor stocks so far in 2026. On April 29, Everspin Technologies reported preliminary unaudited Q1 2026 total revenue of $14.9 million, up from $13.1 million in Q1 2025. Growth was driven by MRAM product sales, which rose to $14.1 million, offsetting a decline in licensing and royalty revenue to $0.8 million. The company narrowed its GAAP net loss to $0.3 million ($0.01 per diluted share), while non-GAAP net income grew significantly to $2.6 million ($0.11 per diluted share).
Financial efficiency improved with gross margin increasing to 52.7%, compared to 51.4% in the prior year period. GAAP operating expenses grew to $10.6 million, while net interest and other income increased to $2.4 million. Everspin maintained a solid cash position, ending the quarter with $40.5 million in cash and cash equivalents to fund its strategic initiatives, including its Foundry Services Agreement with Microchip.
Operational demand was supported by strength in industrial automation, transportation, and data center sectors, alongside a recovery in customer demand in Japan as inventory normalized. Everspin Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:MRAM) also secured a new $40 million contract with a US prime contractor to deliver state-of-the-art MRAM process technology to the Defense Industrial Base. For Q2 2026, the company projects total revenue between $15.5 and $16.5 million.
Everspin Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:MRAM) develops and manufactures magnetoresistive random-access memory products for industrial, data center, automotive, aerospace, and other mission-critical applications.
1. MaxLinear Inc. (NASDAQ:MXL)
Year-to-Date Performance: 429.78%
MaxLinear Inc. (NASDAQ:MXL) is one of the best performing semiconductor stocks so far in 2026. On April 30, MaxLinear announced the availability of its Washington transimpedance amplifier/TIA, a four-lane, 200G per lane component engineered for 1.6T optical transceiver modules. Fabricated using silicon-germanium/SiGe process technology, the TIA provides a low-power, low-noise linear analog front end designed to support the signal integrity and bandwidth scaling demands of next-generation AI data center clusters.
The Washington TIA features a typical power consumption of approximately 750 mW across four channels and includes integrated programmable automatic gain control, photodiode bias, and a per-channel received signal strength indicator. It is pad-compatible with leading market photodetectors to simplify module integration and is designed to interoperate with all major PAM4 DSPs, offering deep co-optimization when paired with MaxLinear’s Rushmore DSP platform.
This release expands MaxLinear Inc.’s (NASDAQ:MXL) broader data center connectivity portfolio, which includes the Keystone DSP platform for 400G/800G applications and the Annapurna copper DSP. Washington is the first in a planned family of low-noise TIAs targeting fully retimed, half-retimed, and linear interfaces (including LPO/LRO and CPO). Samples are currently available, with mass production scheduled for H2 2026.
MaxLinear Inc. (NASDAQ:MXL) provides communications systems-on-chip solutions in the US, Asia, Europe, and internationally. It serves electronics distributors, module makers, OEMs, and original design manufacturers.
While we acknowledge the potential of MXL to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MXL and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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