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AI chips require more than just GPUs. The semiconductor supply chain extends from wafer fabrication equipment enabling advanced node production to high-speed connectivity solutions linking processors together. As AI infrastructure scales, companies supplying critical manufacturing tools and interconnect technologies are capturing billions in demand.
Four leading semiconductor companies sit at different points in this value chain: Lam Research (LRCX) supplies wafer fabrication equipment for chip manufacturing. Astera Labs (ALAB) provides PCIe, CXL, and Ethernet connectivity solutions. Credo Technology (CRDO) specializes in high-speed interconnects and optical DSPs. Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS) manufactures power semiconductors for AI data center applications.
LRCX received a Zacks upgrade to Strong Buy with earnings beating estimates for two consecutive quarters. ALAB trades at a 26X forward price-to-sales ratio reflecting premium growth expectations. CRDO reported 272% revenue growth year over year. NVTS is up more than 30% year-to-date, despite analyst downgrades as investors focus on 800-volt data center power opportunities.
Heightened volatility is expected as these four companies release their upcoming earnings reports. To seek to capitalize on these moves, Tradr ETFs offers 2X leveraged ETFs that allow active traders to amplify their daily exposure to each stock:
Tradr ETFs | ETF Symbol | Description |
Cboe:Â LRCU | 200% leverage on Lam Research stock | |
Cboe:Â LABX | 200% leverage on Astera Labs stock | |
Cboe:Â CRDU | 200% leverage on Credo Technology stock | |
Cboe:Â NVTX | 200% leverage on Navitas Semiconductor stock |
Advanced Node Complexity Drives Divergent Performance and Volatility
As AI chips push toward 3-nanometer nodes and beyond, the underlying manufacturing and connectivity requirements have reached a critical level of complexity. Fabricating these advanced wafers now demands high-precision Extreme Ultraviolet (EUV) lithography and sophisticated 3D packaging. Simultaneously, data center interconnects must scale to PCIe 6.0 speeds, while power delivery architectures transition to 800-volt systems to support megawatt-scale server racks.
This technical evolution is fueling significant performance divergence across the sector. Investors are aggressively rebalancing their positions based on hyperscaler capital expenditure (CapEx) updates and specific design win momentum. This has resulted in a varied volatility landscape for four key players: LRCX and NVTS both have surged in early 2026, while ALAB is currently performing roughly in line with the broader market, and CRDO is significantly underperforming as it faces stiffer competition in the connectivity space.
With earnings reports being released from late January through early March, these diverging paths create a high-conviction environment for active traders. Upcoming equipment order announcements and connectivity milestones serve as immediate catalysts, making this an ideal landscape for those utilizing 2X leveraged ETFs to amplify daily exposure to these volatile price swings.
Lam Research (LRCX)
Lam Research is a global supplier of wafer fabrication equipment and services to the semiconductor industry. The Fremont-based company develops and manufactures systems used in multiple stages of semiconductor device production, including thin film deposition, plasma etch, wafer cleaning, and related process modules. LRCX's equipment supports advanced-node patterning, 3D NAND, and emerging device architectures.
LRCX delivered a standout second-quarter fiscal 2026 report, marking its eighth consecutive quarterly beat. Revenue surged 22% year-over-year to $5.34 billion, while non-GAAP EPS of $1.27 comfortably outpaced analyst estimates.Â
The primary catalyst was a major upgrade to the industry's 2026 Wafer Fab Equipment (WFE) spending forecast, now projected at $135 billion due to relentless AI infrastructure demand. Supported by strong Foundry and Memory segment growth, the company issued bullish Q3 guidance and aggressive price target hikes from major institutions like RBC and Citi, signaling a sustained growth trajectory fueled by the global shift toward leading-edge semiconductor logic. Average analyst target sits at $273.79.
The Tradr 2X Long LRCX Daily ETF (LRCU) seeks double the daily exposure to LRCX's price action, turning the stock's volatility into a precision tool for high-conviction trades on semiconductor manufacturing equipment demand. For more information about LRCU, CLICK HERE.
Astera Labs (ALAB)
Astera Labs designs advanced interconnect products including PCIe, CXL, and Ethernet semiconductor-based connectivity solutions widely used by hyperscalers and the data center ecosystem. Founded in 2017 and based in Santa Clara, the company's products enable comprehensive connectivity infrastructure at rack scale, termed AI Infrastructure 2.0.
RBC initiated coverage with Outperform on January 20, 2026, highlighting retimer growth and Scorpio ramp potential. The company began initial production shipments of Scorpio X-Series on January 22, 2026, with the merchant scale-up switching market projected to reach $20 billion by 2030. The expanded roadmap includes support for increased radix, platform-specific protocols, in-network computing, Hypercast technology, and optical connectivity.
Key products include Aries 6 (industry's first PCIe 6 retimers shipping in high volume), Taurus Ethernet smart cable modules, and Scorpio switch fabric products. The company acquired aiXscale Photonics to expand capabilities and is investing in UALink solutions expected in second half 2026 with early revenues in 2027.
The company is confirmed to report earnings on February 10, 2026, providing traders with visibility into Scorpio X-Series ramp progress and connectivity design win momentum.
The Tradr 2X Long ALAB Daily ETF (LABX) targets 200% of ALAB's daily performance, making it especially valuable for traders positioning on the rack-scale AI connectivity opportunity. For more information about LABX, CLICK HERE.
Credo Technology (CRDO)
Credo Technology Group specializes in high-speed connectivity solutions essential for AI data centers, with leadership in AEC (Active Electrical Cables) and expanding IC portfolio including retimers and optical DSPs. The San Jose-based company introduced three additional growth pillars: Zero-Flap optics, active LED cables, and OmniConnect gearboxes, collectively representing a total market opportunity exceeding $10 billion.
The company reported fiscal second quarter revenue of $268 million, up 272% year over year. Management expects fiscal third quarter revenue between $335 million and $345 million, implying 27% sequential growth at the midpoint. For fiscal 2026, CRDO anticipates more than 170% year-over-year revenue growth with net income expected to more than quadruple.
CRDO carries a fortified balance sheet with $813.6 million in cash. Cash flow from operating activities reached $61.7 million, up $7.5 million sequentially, while free cash flow totaled $38.5 million. This cash strength supports system-level platform expansion, new product initiatives, and M&A efforts including last year's acquisition of Hyperlume.
The company is estimated to report earnings around March 3, 2026, providing traders with visibility into hyperscale customer ramps and new product adoption.
The Tradr 2X Long CRDO Daily ETF (CRDU) aims for double exposure to CRDO's movements as the company scales high-speed connectivity solutions across multiple AI data center applications. For more information about CRDU, CLICK HERE.
Navitas Semiconductor (NVTS)
Navitas Semiconductor manufactures power semiconductors crafted from gallium nitride and silicon carbide. Based in Torrance, California, the company produces wide-bandgap chips that switch electricity faster and more efficiently than standard silicon, finding applications in power conversion for data centers, fast chargers, and electric vehicles.
The company is exiting low-margin consumer chip markets to focus heavily on AI data centers, specifically targeting Nvidia's 800-volt data center power architecture. Nvidia announced it's pushing the industry to adopt 800 VDC distribution for powering 1-megawatt server racks with full-scale production expected alongside Kyber rack-scale systems in 2027.
NVTS stock surged 14% on January 22, 2026, despite no new company announcements, indicating momentum and positioning drove the move. The company revealed work on 800 VDC gallium nitride and silicon carbide devices aimed at powering Nvidia's next-generation AI factory platforms.
Analysts maintain mixed views. Rosenblatt downgraded to Neutral from Buy with a $12 price target, citing expectations "well ahead of the market" and noting shares trade at about 60 times consensus fiscal 2026 revenue. Average analyst target sits at $8.80, with consensus Hold rating. The company faces heavy short interest and ongoing unprofitability.
The company is estimated to report earnings around February 24, 2026, providing traders with updates on 800-volt data center power partnerships and strategic pivot execution.
The Tradr 2X Long NVTS Daily ETF (NVTX) seeks 200% daily exposure to NVTS's price movements as the company pivots from consumer applications to AI data center power infrastructure. For more information about NVTX, CLICK HERE.
Trade Leading Semiconductor Stocks With Leverage
The AI chip supply chain extends far beyond GPU manufacturing. Lam Research supplies the wafer fabrication equipment enabling advanced nodes. Astera Labs provides the connectivity linking processors together. Credo delivers high-speed interconnects scaling data centers. Navitas manufactures the power semiconductors supporting 800-volt architectures.
These popular semiconductor stocks represent different approaches to the same fundamental trend: AI chips require increasingly sophisticated manufacturing, connectivity, and power delivery. LRCX received a Strong Buy upgrade. ALAB began Scorpio X-Series shipments. CRDO reported 272% revenue growth. NVTS surged on 800-volt momentum.
For active traders, Tradr's 2X leveraged ETFs provide tactical precision:
- LRCU – Tradr 2X Long LRCX Daily ETF
- LABX – Tradr 2X Long ALAB Daily ETF
- CRDU – Tradr 2X Long CRDO Daily ETF
- NVTX – Tradr 2X Long NVTS Daily ETF
These funds reset daily, giving fresh 2X exposure each trading day. When these stocks move 5% on earnings or partnership announcements, the leveraged ETFs target 10% moves, before fees.
If you plan on trading these leveraged ETFs, remember:
- Daily reset: Performance targets apply to single trading days only
- Volatility cuts both ways: Leverage amplifies both gains and losses
- Active management required: Designed for traders monitoring positions, not passive investors
- Concentration risk: Single-stock ETFs provide no diversification
The semiconductor supply chain buildout represents a multi-year transformation. These four leading stocks offer traders 2X leverage for high-conviction plays on the equipment, connectivity, and power technologies enabling AI chips.
Leveraged ETFs Involve Significant Risks
Tradr ETFs are for sophisticated investors and professional traders with high conviction views and are very different from most other exchange-traded funds. Know the risks before you invest. The significant risks of leveraged and/or inverse ETFs include the risks of leverage, derivatives, and/or other complex investment strategies that they employ. These investments are designed for short-term trading for investors seeking daily, monthly or quarterly leveraged investment results.
Investors in the fund should: (a) understand the risks associated with the use of leverage; (b) understand the consequences of seeking daily, calendar month and calendar quarter inverse and leveraged investment results; (c) for short ETFs, understand the risk of shorting; (d) intend to actively monitor and manage their investment. Fund performance will likely be significantly different than the benchmark over periods longer than the specified reset period and the performance may trend in the opposite direction than its benchmark over periods other than that period.
The Funds seek leveraged investment results over a specific period and are intended to be used as short-term trading vehicles. The Funds pursue leveraged investment objectives, which means they are riskier than alternatives that do not use leverage because the Funds magnify the performance of their underlying security. The volatility of the underlying security may affect a Fund’s return as much as, or more than, the return of the underlying security.
The Fund will not attempt to position its portfolio to ensure it does not gain or lose more than a maximum percentage of its net asset value on a given trading day. As a consequence, investors in a Fund that seeks two times daily performance would lose all of their money if the Fund’s underlying security moves more than 50% in a direction adverse to the Fund on a given trading day.
ETFs involve risk including possible loss of principal. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. Principal risks and other important risks may be found in the prospectus.
Investors should carefully consider the investment objectives, risks, charges and expenses of the fund before investing. To obtain a prospectus containing this and other important information, please visit www.tradretfs.com to view or download a prospectus online. Read the fund’s prospectus carefully before you invest.
Distributed by ALPS Distributors, Inc, which is not affiliated with AXS Investments or its Tradr ETFs. AXI000853
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