Nvidia, BrainChip, Daimler, Infineon - Not only Tesla can build e-cars!

Nvidia - Intelligent chips make it the winner of the year 2021

Nvidia shareholders were able to relax in 2021. Their shares gained a full 135% over a 12-month horizon, something that very few NDX stocks have managed. The manufacturer of high-performance graphics cards has thus almost quadrupled its value since the beginning of 2020.

A fledgling business unit that deals with virtual reality simulation showed the highest sector growth in 2021 at plus 144%. Capturing the imagination of Nvidia investors was a recent announcement by Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg that his company would be fully focused on a so-called "metaverse" - a virtual environment where work, leisure activities and other real-life things would be possible. To achieve this, a lot of computing power is needed across the board. While Facebook parent company Meta relies on Nvidia rival AMD for the chips for its server farms, Nvidia has already launched its own platform called "Omniverse" to profit from the current hype of "world simulation".

At the start of the year, the Nvidia share now saw slight profit-taking. No big deal because the Company's positioning is excellent. High-tech, virtual reality and the automotive industry are currently vying for the rationed deliveries of the coveted chips.

BrainChip Holdings - Already in strong demand at the start of the year

The start of the year was like a week of jubilation for BrainChip Holdings. The share price rose by a full 37% in the first few trading days. Accompanying news was the appointment of Pia Turcinov as a non-executive director of the Company. Bringing 30 years of industry expertise, she is both an innovator and mentor and will be responsible for further developing and commercializing BrainChip's product portfolios.

BrainChip Holdings is an Australian semiconductor company that manufactures a revolutionary neuromorphic processor called "Akida." The Akida processor can learn on its own while in use, as it improves the overall performance of artificial intelligence systems by reducing latency and power consumption. The new chip with AI capabilities represents a wide range of application areas, including control of autonomous vehicles, IoT devices and drones. In 2021, BrainChip Holdings partnered with Japan's MegaChips to further develop its edge-based artificial intelligence.

BRN shares have now reached a market capitalization of AUD 1.3 billion. The stock is actively traded on Nasdaq and in Germany. The journey should continue upwards; research house Pitt Street sees a further 55% upside potential and issues a 12-month price target of AUD 1.45 in its buy study.

Daimler - 1000km range with the EQXX

At the moment, there are still reservations about electric mobility: too few charging stations and too short a range. At least the latter problem now seems to be solved at Daimler. Under the somewhat unwieldy name Vision EQXX, Mercedes has now unveiled an e-mobile that scores points for its high energy efficiency and allegedly manages up to 1,000 kilometers on one charge cycle. Long-distance travel by e-car would thus no longer be a problem, and the still suboptimal network of charging stations would no longer be a major issue.

The happy news for all e-mobility fans was announced by Daimler Board of Management member and CTO Markus Schäfer via conference call on January 3, 2022. Also on the timetable: The first test drives with the prototype are to take place in just a few months, and the model could then go into series production in about 2 to 3 years. The still-secret battery has a new cell structure, improved chemistry and a housing made of carbon instead of aluminum - the result: half as much installation space and only a third of the usual weight. The entire car weighs only 1750 kilograms, an outstanding figure for an electric vehicle.

Daimler's stock is jubilant, moving up 7% at the start of the year. The German premium manufacturer has now taken up the Tesla chase; after all, the US competitor is worth 15 times as much as the Company from Stuttgart!

Infineon - Further ahead with new sensors

Infineon (IFX) is the largest chip manufacturer from Germany. Stormy growth is on the horizon for the current fiscal year. At the CES tech show in Las Vegas at the beginning of the year, the Company announced new CO2 sensors designed to increase energy efficiency in buildings and provide a tool for ventilation related to pandemic response. The sensor, called XENSIV PAS, works with photoacoustic spectroscopy. It involves directing light at a specific wavelength into a chamber containing ambient air.

The shortage of chips has been discussed intensively in the media for some time now. The megatrend of e-mobility is playing right into the hands of IFX. The share turned upwards again at the end of the year, after a slight drop of 10% in November. Currently, the resistance line at EUR 41.60 still has to fall, and then it can go back to the all-time high of EUR 43.80.

The year 2022 will set the course for the high-tech and automotive industry. High commodity prices and the shortage of chips continue to be a burden. Nvidia, Infineon and Daimler are well-known blue chips. The Australian company BrainChip is launching new technology with blockbuster potential.