The iShares PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ: SOXX) has delivered a significant performance gain in 2026, rising 88.8% year-to-date as of the latest report. This makes the ETF the best-performing industry within the U.S. stock market this year.
The article notes that September 2026 was a strong month for the sector, with SOXX gaining 11.3%. This performance placed it as the second-best September since 2001, trailing only September 2010, which saw a 14.9% gain.
Historical data cited in the report indicates that the five-month window from October to February is historically the strongest period for semiconductor stocks. Over the past 25 years, this period has returned an average of 12.5% per season, with a success rate of 84% (21 out of 25 seasons). Conversely, the period from March to September averaged only 0.7% per month.
Bank of America analyst Vivek Arya highlighted that the fourth and first calendar quarters are the best seasons for chip stocks. From 2010 to 2025, chip stocks delivered a median outperformance of 3 to 5 percentage points versus the S&P 500 during these quarters.
Arya named five specific semiconductor stocks with near-term catalysts: Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ: NVDA), Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC), Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), Marvell Technology Inc. (NASDAQ: MRVL), and Lam Research Corp. (NASDAQ: LRCX). The catalysts cited include Nvidia’s larger buybacks and GTC conferences, Intel’s rising demand for AI agent processors, Micron’s planned buybacks in December, Marvell’s Analyst Day on Oct. 6, and Lam Research’s potential market share gains in equipment.
