In this article, we will look at the Semiconductor Stars: Ranking the Top 10 Chip Stocks by YTD Performance.

On April 30, Chris Toomey, Morgan Stanley Private Wealth, appeared on CNBC’s ‘Closing Bell’ to discuss his views on equity markets, the speed of the rally, and much more.

He stated that he is not surprised by where we are right now, but instead is surprised by how fast we came back. If we look at the stock market, we see that we were at a nine-month low on March 30, and now, we are up over 12%, and since that it is probably a 99th percentile with regards to move. This, according to him, is “pretty fast, pretty quickly”. Toomey also said that if we look at some of the places that were pretty frothy, they have come back. He is thus not surprised that the market is up, but he is surprised at how quickly it has moved.

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Talking about whether the comeback makes sense to him, he was of the view that there are several things that support it. Since Covid, the S&P 500 has annualized at over 20%, and so it has paid to be patient and buy the dips, and that is what the market is doing.

With these broader market trends in view, let’s narrow down and look at the top semiconductor stars, with the top 10 chip stocks ranked by YTD performance.

Our Methodology

We used the Finviz stock screener to make a list of the best semiconductor stocks with the highest YTD performance. We also considered the number of hedge fund holders for each stock, as of Q4 2025, sourcing the hedge fund sentiment data from Insider Monkey’s database. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their YTD performance.

Note: All data was recorded on April 30.

Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 498.7% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 303 percentage points (see more details here).

Semiconductor Stars: Ranking the Top 10 Chip Stocks by YTD Performance

10. nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR)

YTD Share Price Return: 74.49%

nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) is one of the top semiconductor stocks in our ranking of the top 10 chip stocks by YTD performance. On April 30, nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) announced plans for the expansion of its existing operations in Torino, Italy, aimed at supporting the increased demand from European and allied customers for locally assembled directed energy solutions.

Management stated that the expanded Torino footprint is anticipated to improve the company’s ability to deliver high‑power laser subsystems and integrated directed energy components tailored to regional operational needs, while simultaneously aligning with European localization, security, and supply‑chain resiliency requirements. It added that the project builds on nLIGHT, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:LASR) established presence in Italy, and also highlights its long-term commitment to support allied defense and security users with mission‑ready laser technology.

In a separate development, Stifel lifted the price target on nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) to $75 from $68 while maintaining a Buy rating on the shares. The rating update came after having hosted the management team for a client dinner, with the firm telling investors that the management team “added credibility” to its thesis that nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) is “a linchpin national security asset and brings a differentiated offering to a rising tide”.

nLIGHT, Inc. (NASDAQ:LASR) provides semiconductor and fiber lasers for aerospace and defense, microfabrication, and industrial applications. The company operates through the Laser Products and Advanced Development segments.

9. ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:ON)

YTD Share Price Return: 81.08%

ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:ON) is one of the top semiconductor stocks in our ranking of the top 10 chip stocks by YTD performance. Morgan Stanley lifted the price target on ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:ON) to $85 from $64, reaffirming an Equal Weight rating on the shares. The firm stated that although it anticipates a “a beat and raise” from the company when it reports its financial results after market close on Monday, May 4, it also believes that “the bar is quite high.”

In a separate development, ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:ON) announced on April 28 an expanded global strategic collaboration with Geely Auto Group to develop next-generation electric and hybrid vehicles. Management stated that the partnership strengthens system-level integration of ON Semiconductor Corporation’s (NASDAQ:ON) advanced silicon carbide (SiC) technologies across vehicles built on Geely’s SEA-S, the Super Hybrid variant of Geely’s Sustainable Experience Architecture. It further stated that the technologies allow higher-voltage 900V architectures that reduce charging times, extend driving range, and improve efficiency, delivering a driving experience with increased convenience, reliability, and speed to customers across the globe.

ON Semiconductor Corporation (NASDAQ:ON) provides intelligent power and sensing solutions with a primary focus on automotive and industrial markets. The company’s operations are divided into the following segments: Power Solutions Group (PSG), Analog and Mixed-Signal Group (AMG), and Intelligent Sensing Group (ISG).