NAND flash memory chips used in devices including MP3 players have dropped in price by 30% to 40% over the last few months, according to some industry experts. The price cannot, obviously, drop forever. So, Wall St. experiences an odd emotion. NAND producer stocks are down. As the price of the chips becomes more stable, will the stocks go up? Or should they simply stop falling?
Some of the US companies in the NAND market are Sandisk (SNDK) Micron (MU), and Intel (INTC).
According to The Wall Street Journal, NAND memory might be used for "replacing the disk drives inside laptop computers". But, the paper adds: "To be competitive in the broader notebook market, the price of NAND needs to drop further — both a boon and a bane for the industry."
Wall St. analysts are starting to upgrade their ratings on companies like Sandisk. Its share price has dropped 36% in five months.
But, upgrades could be a mistake. The prices for NAND memory chips may be stable, but they are still very low.
Douglas A. McIntyre can be reached at [email protected]. He does not own securities in companies that he writes about.
Top Gaining Stocks
Top Losing Stocks