TriQuint Semiconductor (TQNT)

Company

"Founded in 1985, we "Connect the Digital World to the Global Network"® by supplying high-performance RF modules, components and foundry services to the world's leading communications companies. Specifically, TriQuint supplies products in the top five mobile phone manufacturers, and is a leading gallium arsenide (GaAs) supplier to major defense and space contractors. TriQuint creates standard and custom products using advanced processes that include gallium arsenide, gallium nitride (GaN), surface acoustic wave (SAW) and bulk acoustic wave (BAW) technologies to serve diverse markets including wireless handsets, laptops, GPS/PND, base stations, broadband communications and military. TriQuint is also the lead researcher in a multi-year DARPA program to develop advanced GaN amplifiers." (company website)

tqnt(1-1)
TQNT 4-month chart
tqnt(1-1)_1yr
TQNT 1-year chart

Buy

26 January 2010. Bought 500 at $6.40.

TriQuint climbed steadily from March to October in 2009, then pulled back sharply. The 50- and 200-day moving averages are tracking each other and the Bollinger bands have narrowed. That should presage a move — I'm hoping it is a move to the upside.

  • Percentage price oscillator (PPO) — closely tracking the signal line in neutral territory
  • Volume — increasing over last two weeks

Based on technical analysis, MarketEdge calls TQNT a "strong buy" in a "weak upward trend."

Sell

gain Bottom line
4%

23 February 2010. Sold 500 at $6.70.

Since I bought TQNT, it fell back and then recovered. With volume falling off, another down-swing seems most likely; I'll take a modest profit rather than wait out another turn of the cycle.