When we think of the tech sector, we often think of stocks that trade at high price points in the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Before they both executed 20-for-1 stock splits this year, popular tech stocks like Amazon and Alphabet sported price tags of over $2,000 a share. Even after the splits, they still trade for over $100 a share.
But this doesn't mean that you need hundreds of dollars to get started with investing in tech stocks. In fact, there are plenty of interesting technology stocks with a lot of potential that you can buy now for less than $20 a share. Find a spare Andrew Jackson in your couch cushions and take a look at these three top tech stocks that you can add to your portfolio today for less than $20 apiece.
Image source: Getty Images.
1. Palantir
Palantir (PLTR -0.26%), which provides data analytics software to both governmental and private customers via its proprietary Gotham and Foundry platforms, hit a 52-week high of $27.11 a share. But 2022 has not been kind to high-flying tech stocks that are not profitable, and Palantir shares are down 53% year to date.
However, this short-term price action obscures the progress that Palantir is making -- the company is gaining new customers and increasing revenue. During the most recent quarter, Palantir increased its customer count from 169 to 304 (good for an 80% increase year over year) while growing revenue 26% over the same time frame. Palantir also surpassed $1 billion in trailing 12-month revenue for the first time. Within the U.S., commercial revenue jumped by a jaw-dropping 120%. Government contracts are lucrative and provide Palantir with a steady stream of revenue, but over the long term there is potential for much more growth from working with large enterprise customers. So this 120% increase is encouraging.
I also like the fact that Palantir is playing offense at a time when other tech companies are playing defense -- the company is ramping up hiring as other tech companies are implementing hiring freezes. This could put Palantir in a position of strength and give it the resources to service more customers at a time when others are reducing capacity.
While Palantir is not yet profitable and thus does not have a price-to-earnings multiple, it trades for nine times sales, which is palatable for a high-growth software company. It has been a bumpy road for Palantir investors lately, but the company has plenty of cash on hand and no debt, and I like the long-term potential here, especially as Palantir continues to add more private-sector customers.
2. Rimini Street
Rimini Street (RMNI -0.36%) is a tech stock that's not only trading at below $20 a share, it's changing hands at below $5 a share. The Las Vegas-based company provides support service for enterprise software products like SAP, Oracle, and even MongoDB. Shares of Rimini Street are down 23% year to date and almost 60% from their 52-week high.
However, there is a lot to like about Rimini Street. Unlike some of tech's former highfliers that have fallen from grace this year, Rimini Street is profitable. Not only that, but shares trade at an attractive valuation of just eight times earnings. Shares also look undervalued when using the PEG ratio, which seeks to level the playing field between high-growth and low-growth companies. It achieves this by dividing a stock's price-to-earnings ratio by its earnings growth rate. Stocks with a PEG ratio of under 1 are generally seen as undervalued, so with a PEG ratio of 0.57, Rimini Street looks to be considerably undervalued using this metric.
Rimini Street has grown revenue at a 19% compound annual rate over the past five years, and it sees plenty of room for more growth ahead, with its sights set on a total addressable market of $29 billion based on its current offerings. Rimini Street is seeking to spur further growth by expanding into new countries (47% of the company's revenue comes from outside of the U.S.), adding premium support for additional platforms such as Salesforce's Sales Cloud and Service Cloud products, and cross-selling products to existing clients.
Rimini Street's attractive valuation and steady growth (with plenty of growth opportunities ahead) make the stock an appealing buy.
3. Semrush
Semrush (SEMR -2.97%) is a software-as-a-service platform in the business of online visibility management. This means that Semrush helps its customers boost their online presence by improving their search engine optimization and social media marketing. Semrush helps users refine their online strategy by providing analytics on the effectiveness of their advertising and content, and even helps them monitor the online strategies of their competitors.
Shares of Semrush trade at $12.58 a share and are down 53% from their 52-week high on concerns that an economic slowdown will put a lid on advertising budgets. But we know that over the long run, online advertising is going to keep growing, making Semrush's services invaluable to any company that wants to grow its online presence.
While the stock price has been volatile, Semrush is keeping its head down and growing its business. During the most recent quarter, it grew revenue by 39% year over year, despite the aforementioned macroeconomic concerns. Semrush has 91,000 customers, and it grew the number of these customers spending $10,000 or more by 80% year over year.
Don't let the prohibitive price tags of some tech names make you think you can't start building a portfolio of tech stocks with potential for significant growth. All three of these tech stocks represent compelling opportunities with considerable long-term upside, and you can add any of them to your portfolio for well under $20 a share.
