Some investors are looking at technology stocks with a skeptical eye right now. With inflation still at a nearly 40-year high and the Federal Reserve focused on bringing it down by hiking the federal funds rate, investors have been less keen to buy high-growth tech stocks.
But the recent sell-off in the market has opened up an opportunity for investors. Top tech companies including Microsoft (MSFT 1.65%), Nvidia (NVDA 3.65%), and Doximity (DOCS -0.85%) still have lots of long-term potential for patient investors. Here's why investors should consider snatching up some shares while they're down right now.
1. Microsoft
Microsoft hasn't been immune to the latest tech sell-off, but it certainly hasn't suffered the same fate as most companies in its sector. Shares are down just 10.6% over the past 12 months, compared to the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite's 24.2% plunge.
Image source: Getty Images.
Why has Microsoft fared better than many of its tech peers? For one, it actually beat Wall Street's consensus earnings estimate in its third quarter, reporting adjusted earnings of $2.22 per share compared to analysts' average estimate of $2.19.
Investors are focused more than ever on tech companies' bottom lines right now, and Microsoft delivered.
One of the biggest contributors to its profits is the company's successful cloud computing business, Azure. In the most recent quarter, sales from the company's Azure and other cloud services segment grew 46% year over year, and CEO Satya Nadella said that the number of Azure deals worth at least $100 million more than doubled in the quarter.
And the company will likely be able to keep that profit train running full steam. Azure holds 22% of the cloud infrastructure market, second only to Amazon's AWS, according to data from Canalys.
Azure's strong position in the cloud computing market is a huge deal for the company and its investors because the cloud infrastructure market will grow to an estimated 30% between this year and next, reaching $156 billion by 2023, according to Gartner. As it grows, Microsoft should be able to continue tapping into this lucrative market.
2. Nvidia
Nvidia's shares haven't weathered the great tech sell-off as well as Microsoft's have (down 25.7% from a year ago), but don't let this chip company's recent slide distract you from its long-term opportunities.
For one, Nvidia's main revenue driver, chips for the gaming market, continues to make significant gains. Gaming revenue increased by 31% in the first quarter to a record $3.6 billion. That growth is impressive, especially considering that the company was facing supply chain issues with chips during the quarter.
But gaming isn't Nvidia's only play in the graphics processor market. Nvidia has been steadily growing its data center sales as well. In the most recent quarter, data center GPU revenue increased 83% to $3.7 billion.
That was the first time the company's data center sales were larger than its gaming sales, which is important to note, considering that in just three years, the company has increased its data center sales by nearly five times.
Both data center and gaming are important to Nvidia's future because they're part of the broader GPU chip market that will be worth an estimated $246 billion by 2028.
Nvidia proved in the most recent quarter that even during a chip shortage, it can still put up impressive financial growth: The company beat both top- and bottom-line estimates. And with the GPU market nowhere near done growing, it has the potential to continue expanding right along with it.
3. Doximity
Doximity is an app for medical professionals that allows them to connect with patients as a telemedicine tool. But it's also a platform for connecting professionals to one another (think LinkedIn for doctors and nurses) and for connecting pharmaceutical companies to medical professionals.
The platform is extremely popular with 80% of doctors using it and 50% of nurses and physicians' assistants signed up as well. A well-used app is great, but even better is the fact that Doximity is already profitable.
The company's net income increased 70% in the most recent quarter to $36.7 million. At a time when investors are paying closer attention than ever to a growth stock's profits, it's great to see Doximity already checking off this box.
The company makes money mainly from pharmaceutical companies and healthcare providers placing ads, and through its subscription services. Sales are climbing quickly as revenue spiked 40% in the most recent quarter, reaching $93.7 million.
There's no guarantee that Doximity will keep growing at this same pace, of course, but investors should know that it is already successfully tapping into the combination of pharmaceutical marketing, health system marketing and staffing, and telehealth markets -- all of which equal a total addressable market of $18.5 billion.
With this profitable growth stock currently down 19.5% year to date, now looks like a good buying opportunity.
