Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now

Next Tuesday, Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise. That way, you'll be less likely to make an uninformed kneejerk reaction to news that turns out to be exactly the wrong move.

Sirius inspires strong reactions from investors, as its impressive recovery from near-oblivion during the financial crisis has brought its stock back up to pre-financial-crisis levels. But will the company ever produce the truly explosive growth it will need if it wants to see its stock regain levels last seen during the tech boom more than a decade ago? Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Sirius XM Radio over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its quarterly report.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Ibm(IBM.L)

International Business Machines Corporation provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. The company operates in five segments: Global Technology Services, Global Business Services, Software, Systems and Technology, and Global Financing. The Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology- and process-based services. The Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. The Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, performance management business analytics, intelligence, and data analytics; Tivoli software for identi ty management, data security, storage management, cloud computing, enterprise mobility, and automation and provisioning of the datacenter; Lotus Software to connect people and processes for communication; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; security systems software; and operating systems software. The Systems and Technology segment provides computing power and storage solutions; and semiconductor technology products and packaging solutions. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing of equipment. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. International Business Machines Corporation was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Armonk, New York.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Alaska Communications Systems Group Inc.(ALSK)

Alaska Communications Systems Group, Inc. provides integrated communications services primarily in Alaska. The company operates in two segments, Wireline and Wireless. The Wireline segment offers voice, broadband data, internet access, long distance, and other communications products and services; local exchange network and network connectivity solutions; voice and broadband termination services to inter and intrastate carriers; and multi-protocol label switching, metro Ethernet, network access, and other information technology infrastructure hosting and management services. This segment serves business customers; multi-national corporations; municipal, state, and federal governments; residential customers; small and medium sized businesses; governmental entities; and other telecommunications carriers. The Wireless segment provides facilities-based voice, data, and other value-added services, as well as equipment sales services; and operates 14 retail stores. As of Decembe r 31, 2011, its wireless network supported approximately 118,000 connections. Alaska Communications Systems Group, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Radovsky]

  For what that means to a telecom operating in the 49th state, read what Alaska Communications (NASDAQ: ALSK  ) CEO Anand Vadapalli touted during his company's second quarter 2012 earnings conference call after it got the iPhone:

Top Low Price Stocks To Buy For 2014: ePlus Inc.(PLUS)

ePlus inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in selling, leasing, financing, and managing information technology (IT) and other assets in the United States. Its Technology Sales segment involves in the direct marketing of IT equipment and third-party software solutions of Cisco Systems, HP, VMWare, NetApp, IBM, and Microsoft; and the provision of proprietary software for enterprise supply management, including order-entry and order-management, procurement, spend management, asset management, document management, distribution, and electronic catalog content management software and services. This segment also provides professional technology services in the areas of data center, storage, security, cloud enablement, and IT infrastructure that cover Internet telephony and communications, collaboration, cloud computing, virtual desktop infrastructure, network design and implementation, storage, security, virtualization, business continuity, visual communications, audio/visual technologies, maintenance, and implementation services. The company?s Financing segment offers a range of leasing and financing options for IT and capital assets, such as computers, associated accessories and software, communication-related equipment, medical equipment, industrial machinery and equipment, office furniture and general office equipment, transportation equipment, and other general business equipment. It also leases and finances equipment, as well as supplies software and services directly and through relationships with vendors and equipment manufacturers. ePlus sells its products primarily through direct sales force, inside sales representatives, and business development associates to commercial customers; federal, state, and local governments; K-12 schools; and higher education institutions. The company was formerly known as MLC Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to ePlus inc. in 1999. ePlus was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Herndon, Virginia.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: ARM Holdings PLC (ARMH)

ARM Holdings plc (ARM), incorporated on October 16, 1990, designs microprocessors, physical intellectual property (IP) and related technology and software, and sells development tools. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated in three business segments: the Processor Division (PD), the Physical IP Division (PIPD) and the System Design Division (SDD). ARM licenses and sells its technology and products to international electronics companies, which in turn manufacture, markets and sells microprocessors, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) and application-specific standard processors (ASSPs) based on ARM�� technology to systems companies for incorporation into a range of end products. It also licenses and sells development tools directly to systems companies and provides support services to its licensees, systems companies and other systems designers.

ARM processor architecture and physical IP is used in embedded microprocessor applications, including cellular phones, digital televisions, mobile computers and personal computer peripherals, smart cards and microcontrollers. ARM�� principal geographic markets are Europe, the United States and Asia Pacific. ARM�� product offering includes microprocessor Cores: RISC microprocessor cores, including specific functions, such as video and graphics IP and on-chip fabric IP; embedded software; physical IP; development tools, and support and maintenance services.

Processor Division

The PD encompasses those resources that are centered on microprocessor cores, including specific functions, such as graphics IP, fabric IP, embedded software IP and configurable digital signal processing (DSP) IP. Service revenues consist of design consulting services and revenues from support, maintenance and training.

Physical IP Division

The PIPD is focused on building blocks for translation of a circuit design into actual silicon. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company�� total av! erage PIPD headcount was 557. ARM is a provider of physical IP components for the design and manufacture of integrated circuits, including systems-on-chip (SoCs). ARM Artisan physical IP products include embedded memory, standard cell and input/output components. Artisan physical IP also includes a limited portfolio of analog and mixed-signal products. ARM�� physical IP components are developed for a range of process geometries ranging from 20 nanometer - 250 nanometer. ARM licenses its products to customers for the design and manufacture of integrated circuits used in complex, high-volume applications, such as portable computing devices, communication systems, cellular phones, microcontrollers, consumer multimedia products, automotive electronics, personal computers and workstations and many others.

ARM�� embedded memory components include random access memories, read only memories and register files. These memories are provided in the form of a configurable memory compiler, which allows the customer to generate the appropriate configuration for the given application. ARM�� memory components include many configurable features, such as power-down modes, low-voltage data retention and fully static operation, as well as different transistor options to trade off performance and power. In addition, ARM�� memory components include built-in test interfaces that support the industry test methodologies and tools. ARM memory components also offer redundant storage elements.

ARM�� memory components are designed to enable the chip designer maximum flexibility to achieve the optimum power, performance, and density trade-off. ARM offers standard cell components that are optimized for high performance, high density or ultra high density. ARM logic products deliver optimal performance, power and area when building ARM Processors, Graphics, Video and Fabric IP along with general SoC subsystem implementation. ARM delivers physical interface for a range of DDR SDRAM (double-data rate s! ynchronou! s dynamic random-access memory) applications ranging from mission critical applications to low-power memory sub-systems. Silicon on Insulator (SOI) products is an alternative methodology to traditional semiconductor fabrication techniques.

System Design Division

The SDD is focused on the tools and models used to create and debug software and system-on-chip (SoC) designs. ARM�� software development tools help a software design engineer deliver products right the first time. Engineers use these tools in the design and deployment of code, from applications running on open operating systems right through to low-level firmware. The ARM Development Studio is a hardware components that allow the software designer to connect to a real target system and control the system for the purposes of finding errors in the software. The ARM DSTREAM unit allows the software developer to control the software running on the prototype product and examine the internal state of the prototype product. ARM Development Boards are ideal systems for prototyping ARM-based products. The ARM Microcontroller Development Kit supports ARM-based microcontrollers and 8051-based microcontrollers from companies, such as Analog Devices, Atmel, Freescale, Fujitsu, NXP, Samsung, Sharp, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Toshiba. The ARM Microcontroller Development Kit is used by developers who are building products and writing software using standard off-the-shelf microcontrollers.

The ARM Microprocessor Families

ARM architecture processors offers a range of performance options in the ARM7 family, ARM9 family, ARM11 family, ARM Cortex family and ARM SecurCore family. The ARM architecture gives systems designers a choice of processor cores at different performance/price points. The ARM7 offers 32-bit architecture capable of operating from 8/16-bit memory on an 8/16-bit bus through the implementation of the Thumb instruction set. The ARM9 family consists of a range of microprocessors in ! the 150-2! 50MHz range. Each processor has been designed for a specific application or function, such as an application processor for a feature phone or running a wireless fidelity (WiFi) protocol stack. The ARM9 family consists of a range of microprocessors in the 150-250 megahertz range. The ARM11 family consists of a range of microprocessors in the 300-600 megahertz range. ARM Cortex family is ARM�� family of processor cores based on version 7 of the ARM Architecture. The family is split into three series: A Series, A Series and M Series.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Michael A. Robinson]

  ARM Holdings PLC (Nasdaq ADR: ARMH) - one of the world's dominant mobile-device chip companies - bought a small Finnish software startup called Sensinode Oy in a deal whose price wasn't reported.

• [By Justin Jaynes]

  What I am curious about is who is building it? At this point, I'll pull a page from SA contributor Russ Fischer's playbook and think outside the box and say Samsung (my 100% speculation). The Wafer Supply Agreement was amended last year to break exclusivity from Global Foundries in March -- roughly 18 months ago, which happens to be the same time Mr. Feldman said takes to design a chip with ARM Holdings (ARMH). Review my last AMD article for an explanation of the WSA.

• [By Ashraf Eassa]

  But the main problem that we have seen so far is that Intel needs to have the right products to play in this space. I think that when Intel can put the old Atom behind it and get the first Silvermont based parts to market, then we will see some real volume growth. Intel is lucky that ARM (ARMH)-based competitors such as Qualcomm (QCOM) and Nvidia (NVDA) are essentially locked out of the Windows space (and as a result, Intel captured 90% of Windows tablet share translating into ~6% of the total tablet market), but in the Android space, X86 compatibility is not a barrier for competitors, so Clover Trail+ isn't going to cut it against an Nvidia Tegra 4 or a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800. Bay Trail had better be good (i.e., best in class), otherwise it will fail to gain traction on Android.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Digital Dispatch (DD.TO)

DDS Wireless International Inc. provides wireless mobile data solutions for vehicle fleet applications primarily in the United States, Canada, Europe, and internationally. The company engages in the design, development, and deployment of turnkey solutions, including application software, mobile devices, infrastructure products, professional services, and maintenance. It operates in four business units: Taxi, Transit, eFleet, and Digital Wireless. The Taxi business unit provides computerized dispatching and turnkey wireless fleet management solutions for taxi fleets; and TaxiBook, an Internet-based fleet management and dispatch solution. It also offers mobile commerce and Web-based interactive multimedia information, entertainment, and advertising solutions for taxis through a passenger information monitor. The Transit business unit provides mobile devices and wireless data infrastructure; scheduling, dispatching, and client management software; and service-based managed sc heduling and dispatching solutions for the transit market. The eFleet business unit offers software, hardware, and data networks that are accessible via Web browser to provide dispatching and management functionality for fleets of commercial vehicles. It integrates computer aided wireless dispatch, GPS fleet tracking, GPS navigation, two-way text messaging, and point-of-sale payment processing into a single hosted system. This business unit�s primary markets are work trucks, waste management trucks, and limousines. The Digital Wireless business unit provides in-vehicle wireless data computers, communications infrastructure products, and related in-vehicle peripheral devices. It markets its products as an OEM directly to customers and third-party solution providers. The company was formerly known as Digital Dispatch Systems Inc. and changed its name to DDS Wireless International Inc. in March 2008. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Empower Technologies Corporatio (EPT.V)

Empower Technologies Corporation develops and provides Linux-based embedded system technologies and solutions for the consumer electronics industry and the intelligent appliance markets primarily in Canada, the United States, and Asia. The company offers Linux Embedded Operating Systems (LEOs), an embedded hardware platform that allows product developers and manufacturers to create their own software and embedded hardware, or integrate the company�s software or hardware for their own products. Its products comprise EDK6446, a development kit for the DaVinci DM6446, which is used for media devices in the mobile, set-top-box, and telematic applications; SBC6446/3/1, a single board computer powered by the TI DaVinci dual core SoC; EMP3530/03-SDK, a development kit for single board media computers; EMP3530 and EMP3503 single board media computers; iPOS1000 and iPOS1100 automated sales assistant systems for managing the interaction between customers and products; and BE1000, a real time video motion stabilizer for translational and rotational motions. The company also provides various design and manufacturing, original equipment manufacturer and original design manufacturer, turnkey product development, contract manufacturing, engineering and consulting, and system integration services. Its target customers include product developers and manufacturers in the digital signage and interactive kiosk, security and surveillance, military, automotive and transportation, RFID, healthcare, industrial control, and consumer electronics sectors. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Jds Uniphase Canad Exchangeable(JDU.TO)

JDS Uniphase Corporation provides communications test and measurement solutions, and optical products for telecommunications service providers, wireless operators, cable operators, network-equipment manufacturers, and enterprises worldwide. The company?s Communications Test and Measurement segment supplies instruments, software, and services to enable the design, deployment, and maintenance of communication equipment and networks. Its product portfolio consists of test tools, platforms, software, and services for wireless and fixed networks. The company?s Communications and Commercial Optical Products segment offers components, modules, subsystems, and solutions that are used by communications equipment providers for telecommunications and enterprise data communications. This segment?s products comprise transmitters, receivers, amplifiers, ROADMs, optical transceivers, multiplexers and demultiplexers, switches, optical-performance monitors and couplers, splitters, and c irculators, which enable the transmission of video, audio, and text data through fiber-optic cables. It also provides various laser products, including diode, direct-diode, diode-pumped solid-state, fiber, and gas lasers for micromachining, materials processing, bioinstrumentation, consumer electronics, graphics, medical/dental, and optical pumping; and photovoltaic products, such as concentrated photovoltaic cells and receivers for generating energy from sunlight, as well as fiber optic-based systems for delivering and measuring electrical power. The company?s Advanced Optical Technologies segment offers optical solutions for security and brand-differentiation applications; and thin film coatings for a range of public and private-sector markets. This segment also provides multilayer product-security solutions that deliver overt, covert, forensic, and digital product and document verification. JDS Uniphase Corporation was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Milpitas, Ca lifornia.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Marvell Technology Group Ltd.(MRVL)

Marvell Technology Group Ltd. designs, develops, and markets analog, mixed-signal, digital signal processing, and embedded and standalone ARM-based microprocessor integrated circuits. It offers mobile and wireless products, including communications processors, applications processors, and standalone wireless products, as well as combination devices, which incorporate wireless, Bluetooth, and FM radio capability. The company also provides storage products comprising tape drive controllers, read channel, hard disk controllers, solid-state drive controllers, hybrid drive controllers, and storage-system products for hard disk drives, tape drive electronics, optical disk drives, solid-state flash drives, hybrid drives, and storage subsystems technology. In addition, it offers networking, such as switching products that enable voice, video, and data traffic to be carried through the network for the enterprise networking, carrier access, and small office/home office/residential n etworking markets; communications controller and embedded processor products; and enterprise transceiver and Ethernet connectivity products. Further, the company provides printing ASIC products; digital video processing products; and power management and green technology products, such as DSP switcher integrated regulators, analog switching regulators, and mixed-signal light-emitting diode drivers. It operates in the United States, Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1995 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  On Tuesday, JP Morgan announced that it has raised its rating on Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (MRVL) .

  The firm has upgraded MRVL from “Neutral” to “Overweight,” and has given the company a $16 price target. This price target suggests a 19% upside from the stock’s current price of $12.91.

  Marvell Technology shares were up 37, or 2.94%, during Tuesday morning trading. The stock is up 78% YTD.

• [By Rich Smith]

  At Bermuda-incorporated semiconductor firm Marvell Technology (NASDAQ: MRVL  ) , the family that designs and markets computer chips together, stays together.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (NASDAQ: MRVL) sells Cisco switch and system controllers and also sells indirectly through other vendors to Scientific Atlanta, the set top box maker. The consensus price target is put at $12. Investors are paid a 1.8% dividend.

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: RF Micro Devices Inc.(RFMD)

RF Micro Devices, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets radio frequency (RF) components and compound semiconductor technologies in the United States and internationally. Its products enable mobility, as well as provide connectivity and support functionality in the cellular handsets, wireless infrastructure, wireless local area networks, cable television /broadband, Smart Energy/advanced metering infrastructure, and aerospace and defense markets. The company offers products that range from single-function components to highly integrated circuits and multi-chip modules (MCMs). Its integrated circuit products include gain blocks, low noise amplifiers, power amplifiers (PAs), receivers, transmitters, transceivers, modulators, demodulators, attenuators, switches, frequency synthesizers, and voltage-controlled oscillators (VCOs); MCM products consist of PA modules, switch-filter modules, active antenna products, VCOs, phase-locked loops, coaxial resonator oscillators , active mixers, variable gain amplifiers, hybrid amplifiers, power doublers, and optical receivers; and passive components consist of splitters, couplers, mixers, and transformers, as well as isolators and circulators. The company markets its products to original equipment manufacturers and original design manufacturers. RF Micro Devices, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  RF Micro Devices (NASDAQ: RFMD  ) is a chipmaker that's fared well in getting its smartphone chips into devices of the world's two biggest players in this growing space. Another thing it does is make analysts look like perpetual underachievers. If analysts say the company posted a profit of $0.07 a share in its latest quarter, I'll argue that it held up better than that. History's on my side!

Top 10 Tech Companies To Own In Right Now: Spansion Inc(CODE)

Codere, S.A. engages in the management of gaming machines, bingo halls, horse racing tracks, casinos, and off-track betting facilities in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Panama, and Uruguay. As of December 31, 2008, the company managed 54,818 slot machines and electronic bingo terminals, 137 bingo halls with 30,803 seats, 106 off-track betting facilities, 3 horse racing tracks, and 6 casinos. It also operated 15,963 AWP machines in approximately 10,886 bars and restaurants in Spain. Codere, S.A. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Alcobendas, Spain.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU) was up over 4% at $14.59 and hit a new multiyear high of $15.27 earlier on Wednesday. SanDisk Corp. (NASDAQ: SNDK) is up right at 3% at $56.95 against a 52-week range of $38.47 to $63.97. Jefferies also reiterated its Buy rating and $21 price target for Micron. We are seeing similar gains in Spansion Inc. (NYSE: CODE), up 2.3% at $10.69, but we would warn that its 52-week range is $9.96 to $14.54. Wells Fargo initiated coverage with an Outperform rating and a $12 to $14 valuation.