The unassuming semiconductor chip might be a ubiquitous existence in our every day life, but the outlook for the broader sector is significantly from rosy. In a indication of just how bearish the market has turned on the sector, the ProShares UltraShort Semiconductors ETF , an inverse trade-traded fund that bets towards the sector, has returned nearly 60% this yr. Whilst demand from customers for semiconductors soared in the course of the pandemic, chip giants these as Micron , Intel , Qualcomm and Nvidia have, in new months, issued a refrain of warnings about slowing desire, stoking fear that the beleaguered sector still has further more to tumble. But a single inventory stands out for its potent showing amid the bearishness. Arizona-dependent ON Semiconductor is the most effective doing stock on the PHLX Semiconductor Index (SOX) this calendar year. The stock is down just .6% this yr, outperforming the SOX, which has plunged about 24% in the same interval. A short summer rally saw the stock deliver a return of 15.1% in the next quarter, handily beating the broad-dependent S & P 500 , which declined 4.3% more than the similar interval. ‘Record’ 2nd quarter ON had a document next quarter, submitting profits of a lot more than $2 billion for the initially time. It sent earnings per share of $1.02 for the quarter, in contrast to $.42 in the exact interval a 12 months ago. The organization also grew its gross margin and free dollars movement in the next quarter, even though guiding for greater EPS in the 3rd quarter. The firm turned up on CNBC Pro’s display screen of ” earnings season champs ” — firms whose gross margins rose at the very least 5 percentage points considering that the 2nd quarter of 2021 and where analysts have revised their EPS progress estimates upwards by at minimum 5 percentage details article-earnings when compared to the commence of the earnings period. “Our leadership in the accelerating megatrends of car electrification, ADAS [advanced driver assistance systems], electrical power infrastructure and manufacturing facility automation have enabled us to prolong lengthy term provide agreements and raise need visibility.,” Hassane El-Khoury, ON Semiconductor’s president and CEO, claimed in the company’s earnings release . Read extra This tech inventory is up nearly 20% more than the earlier year. But one particular professional claims it is just acquiring commenced These outperforming stocks could be protected bets appropriate now — and analysts give them significant upside ‘Get out of these distorted markets’: Mohamed El-Erian on in which to invest ideal now Certainly, the firm has extended concentrated on providing chips to the automotive sector — specially the burgeoning electric powered auto marketplace. “ON has an automobile and industrial tilt which are now two-thirds of income, and these have some additional structural underpinnings all over electric powered cars and industrial automation,” Trent Masters, portfolio manager at Alphinity Investment decision Administration, advised CNBC “Avenue Indications Asia” on Monday. In addition to secular motorists, Masters observed that ON has benefited from “significant” internal variations, this sort of as producing at scale, price including amenities and realization of its portfolio benefit. He extra that the firm is constructing a “main posture” in silicon carbide semis, which are important for extending the array of EVs. “So, when the semis cycle can be violent individuals for a longer period-time period need motorists are in put. It is really a wild journey but 14x [price-to-earnings ratio] for a small business with a beneficial outlook is a reasonable area to be,” Masters stated. The inventory is well favored on Wall Road, with a 75% get or chubby ranking amongst the analysts masking it, in accordance to FactSet. Analysts also have an typical rate goal of $75.80 on the stock — supplying it a opportunity upside of close to 12% from its latest price tag.