Why We Write So Much About 5G Stocks

Looking for the Next Big Thing? Read This

“5G stocks” has been a buzzword for a few years now. But not every 5G investor is happy with the results they get.

When it comes to next-big-thing plays, investors are looking for extraordinary returns. In reality, though, many 5G companies haven’t gotten much extra investor enthusiasm yet.

Take a look at the chart below. The green line shows the price performance of the Defiance 5G Next Gen Connectivity ETF (NYSEARCA:FIVG), which is the first exchange-traded fund (ETF) to focus exclusively on the 5G sector.

The 5G ETF tracks the BlueStar 5G Communications Index, which is made up of companies that are either involved in the development of 5G networks or are instrumental in the rollout of 5G networks.

The black line in the chart shows the performance of the Nasdaq Composite. What we see is that, over the past year, the Defiance 5G Next Gen Connectivity ETF has done pretty well and has outperformed the Nasdaq Composite, but not by much.

Defiance 5G Next Gen Connectivity ETF (NYSEARCA:FIVG) Stock Chart

Chart courtesy of StockCharts.com

Why 5G Stocks Are Worth Our Attention

So, if 5G stocks don’t provide next-big-thing type returns, why do we write about them so much at Profit Confidential?

There are two main reasons.

First, there are more 5G stocks on the market than the ones included in the Defiance 5G Next Gen Connectivity ETF. The ETF’s underlying index is largely made up of chipmakers, telecommunications companies, and telecom infrastructure operators. So there are obviously other companies—such as those that develop 5G applications—that stand to benefit from the 5G rollout.

The 5G ETF holds 77 companies at the time of this writing, so even when an individual component delivers a huge return—and there are quite a few stocks that have done so—its effect on the total ETF’s performance is limited. (Source: “Fact Sheet,” Defiance ETFs, last accessed March 19, 2021.)

That said, for investors who don’t want to pick individual stocks, the Defiance 5G Next Gen Connectivity ETF provides a convenient way to get some exposure to the sector.

And here’s the second reason why we write so much about 5G technology: IT’S THE FUTURE.

When it comes to data transmission speed, 4G networks top out at a theoretical 100 megabits per second. 5G networks, on the other hand, top out at 10 gigabits per second. So from a theoretical perspective, 5G is 100 times faster than 4G at its maximum speed.

At the same time, 5G can substantially reduce latency. This may not seem as impressive as the sheer increase in speed, but the faster load times and improved responsiveness could enable plenty of new applications, such as the industrial Internet of Things (IoT), autonomous vehicles, and remote health care. The new market opportunity is undoubtedly immense.

While early 5G users may find the speed a bit underwhelming, keep in mind that the deployment of 5G networks remains at an early stage. Over time, coverage will get better, speeds will get faster, and devices will become cheaper—all of which points to a revolution in the technology space and a major opportunity for growth investors.

There are many research reports forecasting just how big the 5G market could be.

For instance, Facts and Factors estimated that the global 5G devices market was just $2.7 billion in 2019 but will reach $26.1 billion by 2026. That would translate to a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 38%. (Source: “5G Devices Market By Device Type (Smartphones, Tablets, Hotspot Devices, and Others), By Frequency Band (Low-band (sub 1 Gz), Mid-band (sub 6 Gz), and High-band (mmWave)), By End User (Enterprises, Residential, and Government),” Facts and Factors, last accessed March 19, 2021.)

A CAGR of 38% is a lot, even by tech sector standards. And because people are buying 5G devices left, right, and center these days, there’s good reason to believe that the market expansion will indeed continue.

According to Gartner, Inc., smartphone sales totaled 1.5 billion units worldwide in 2019 and 1.4 billion units worldwide in 2020. (Source: “Gartner Says Worldwide Smartphone Sales to Grow 11% in 2021,” Gartner, Inc., February 3, 2021.)

The decline was largely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the industry. But here’s the thing: while total smartphone sales declined, sales of 5G devices actually shot through the roof. From 2019 to 2020, 5G smartphone sales rose from 16.7 million units to 213.3 million units, marking a 12-fold increase.

For 2021, Gartner predicts that worldwide 5G smartphone sales will surge by another 152% from last year to 538.5 million units. Total smartphone sales are also expected to bounce back to 1.5 billion units.

Note that, if the industry grows as Gartner expects—meaning 5G smartphone sales more than double in 2021—5G smartphone sales would still account for just 35% of total smartphone sales.

In other words, the best is really yet to come.

Analyst Take

At the end of the day, don’t forget that, when a sector with strong potential is not shooting through the roof, it’s not really a bad thing.

Think about it: if a stock skyrockets, it usually means everyone knows about it and the market is pricing in the company’s growth potential. That would make it difficult and riskier for new investors to get in.

With 5G stocks not being very hyped up, it should be easier for investors to find good entry points.