Smaller players saw a bigger percentage growth in watchers as compared to the mega-caps in 2024.
The semiconductor sector, often defined by industry giants like NVIDIA and Intel, has seen an unexpected shift in investor focus this year.
According to Stocktwits data, as innovation in solar energy and quantum computing drives the next phase of technological advancement, smaller players have captured significant attention.
Among them, TOYO Co., SEALSQ Corp., and Rigetti Computing Inc. have emerged as the top three stocks with the biggest jump in watchers this year, despite their relatively niche profiles.
TOYO Co. (TOYO)
Toyo Co. stock was trading flat in pre-market trade on Thursday after rallying 5.81% in the previous session.
The solar-focused semiconductor firm saw watchlist interest spike by a staggering 31,500% over the past year, according to Stocktwits data.
Despite a year marked by significant price swings, including a low of $1.36 in July and a high of $15.61 in May, the stock has drawn investors' attention due to a $150 million contract to supply high-efficiency solar cells to a top-tier, unnamed manufacturer.
Currently trading at $3.29, TOYO’s annual performance reflects a 70% drop year-over-year, underpinned by sharp volatility in 2024.
SEALSQ Corp. (LAES)
Shares of SEALSQ Corp. rose 1.28% in pre-market trade on Thursday after rallying over 11% in the previous session and hitting an over-one-year high of $6.27.
The number of eyes on the WISeKey International Holding (WKEY) subsidiary have jumped 1371% this year.
The total number of watchers on SEALSQ has crossed 5,000 on the platform, with the company’s focus on post-quantum cryptography aligning with heightened interest in quantum computing technologies.
SEALSQ’s milestones this year include partnerships with IC’ALPS for application-specific integrated circuits, collaborations with Hedera for quantum-resistant solutions, and the deployment of its cryptographic chips in WISeSat satellites.
These developments have helped SEALSQ shares rise by 327% year-to-date.
Upcoming catalysts include a scheduled satellite launch on Jan. 14, 2025, in partnership with SpaceX, which has investors eyeing continued momentum heading into next year.
Rigetti Computing Inc. (RGTI)
Rigetti Computing is another semiconductor company that has been swept up in the buzz around quantum computing.
The stock saw a 437% increase in watchers in the last 365 days, with message volume jumping over 150,000%.
Rigetti Computing’s shares have surged 1,054% year-to-date, supported by major announcements, including the launch of its 84-qubit Ankaa-3 quantum computing system and breakthroughs in quantum calibration.
The stock traded as low as $0.66 earlier this year and reached a high of $12.75 last week.
The shares were down 1.85% in pre-market trade on Thursday.
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