Technology

Baird's Best Technology Growth Stocks to Buy Now

Most Wall Street firms hold conferences, but they tend to be more sector specific. Robert Baird just concluded its 35th annual Growth Stock conference, which hosted presentations, meetings and break-out sessions from 139 public companies across seven industry sectors. In a new research report, the Baird analysts detail the best growth stock ideas from all seven sectors. The overall selections are an eclectic group of names that could make good sense for growth investors going forward. We zero in on the best ideas to buy now in the technology sector.

Here are the six best technology growth ideas to buy now.

Broadcom Corp. (NASDAQ: BRCM) disappointed with its first-quarter earnings results as the company struggled in its mobile and wireless business. The company’s profit dropped on a year-over-year basis, and despite an earnings beat, the stock got hit. Given the stiff competition from other industry giants, some think that the company could look for a buyer or become a merger candidate. Baird remains positive on the company’s structural change plans for its baseband business and sees solid infrastructure growth prospects. Investors are paid a 1.6% dividend. The Baird price target for the stock is $35. The Thomson/First Call consensus target is posted at $32.29. Broadcom closed Friday at $29.74.

READ MORE: Ten Analyst Stocks to Buy Under $10 for Big Upside

Concur Technologies Inc.‘s (NASDAQ: CNQR) easy-to-use Web-based and mobile solutions help companies and their employees control costs and save time. Concur Connect is the platform that enables the entire travel and expense ecosystem of customers, suppliers and developers to access and extend Concur’s travel and entertainment cloud. The Baird team sees accelerating growth for the company and a strong market position. The Baird price target is $125, and the consensus target is $104.14. The stock closed Friday at $77.54 a share.

Fairchild Semiconductor International Inc. (NASDAQ: FCS) makes the list and may be a solid smaller cap name for investors. The Baird analysts see second half of the year wireless-driven revenue growth, especially in China. They also cite cost cutting as another positive that may emerge later in the year. Baird has a $15 price objective for the stock, and the consensus figure is $14.44. Shares closed Friday at $12.91.

Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ: FTNT) is a top cybersecurity name that has been hammered despite posting very good first-quarter results both on the top and bottom line. Baird cites not only a pending product refresh cycle, but also points out that the information technology security market is robust and growing. Baird has a $28 price target, while the consensus number is set lower at $26.20. Fortinet closed Friday at $20.36, an outstanding entry point for investors looking to add a growth name in this vital area.

Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC) is another small cap name that could have some solid upside for investors. Google’s Advanced Technology and Projects group selected Lattice FPGAs for its ambitious Project Ara initiative, which aims to deliver the world’s first smartphones for consumers to configure from a variety of modules. The Baird price target is $10, and the consensus target is a touch higher at $10.33. Lattice closed Friday at $7.87.

Qualys Inc. (NASDAQ: QLYS) wraps up the six best growth stock ideas in the technology sector. Baird views the company as having a unique market positioning as a cloud-based security vendor. The firm also sees accelerating revenue growth and a strong new product pipeline. Baird has a $30 price target, while the consensus is set at $25. The stock closed Friday trading at $20.47. A move to the Baird target would be almost a 50% gain for investors.

READ MORE: Top Technology Name Added to UBS Dividend Ruler Stocks

Like at many of the top regional firms, the Baird analysts are searching for true growth stock stories. They have migrated to names that hold a solid market position in their respective areas, good revenue growth prospects and in most cases good product pipelines. One-trick pony stocks can be way too trendy and volatile. The Baird names make good sense for growth-oriented portfolios with moderate to higher risk tolerance.

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