CRDO Tanks 33% in 3 Months: Should You Hold the Stock or Make an Exit?

Core Viewpoint - Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (CRDO) has experienced a significant stock decline of 33.3% over the past three months, which is notably higher than the Electronic-Semiconductors industry's decline of 16.4% and the broader Computer and Technology sector's decline of 11.5% [1][12][21] Price Performance - CRDO's stock gained 6.1% recently, closing at $51.39, but remains 41% below its 52-week high of $86.69 [4] - The stock's performance raises concerns among investors regarding their investment strategies [4] Market Demand and Growth Drivers - The demand for high-performance serial connectivity solutions is increasing due to exponential data growth and rapid AI proliferation, which is favorable for Credo [5] - Credo's Active Electrical Cables (AEC) product line has shown triple-digit sequential growth, driven by adoption in the data center market [6] - The company is expanding its product portfolio to include PCIe solutions, which will address the growing demand for AI scale-out and scale-up networks [7] Product Innovations - CRDO launched the Lark Optical DSP family, designed for 800G optical transceivers, which enhances performance and power efficiency for AI data centers [8] - There is strong customer interest in CRDO's PCIe and Ethernet retimers, particularly for AI server scale-out networks, with demand expected to exceed $1 billion by 2027 [9] Financial Outlook - For Q4 fiscal 2025, CRDO expects revenues between $155 million and $165 million, indicating a growth of 163.2% year-over-year [10] - In Q3 fiscal 2025, CRDO reported revenues of $135 million, up 87% sequentially and 154% year-over-year, driven by demand from its largest hyperscale customer [11] Challenges and Risks - CRDO faces challenges due to its heavy reliance on AI-related infrastructure and hyperscale cloud market spending, which are subject to cyclical fluctuations [12] - The company reported a 16% sequential increase in non-GAAP operating expenses, primarily due to higher headcount, which could pose a risk if revenue growth does not keep pace [14] - A significant portion of revenue (86%) comes from a single end customer, creating customer concentration risk [15] Competitive Landscape - CRDO's stock decline of 33.3% is steeper than peers like Broadcom and Cirrus Logic, which declined 11.6% and 6.5%, respectively [16] - The company competes with semiconductor giants such as Broadcom and Marvell Technology, which may exert competitive pressure [16] Valuation - CRDO's stock is trading at a forward 12-month Price/Sales ratio of 12.92, indicating a stretched valuation compared to the Electronic-Semiconductors sector's multiple of 6.97 [18] - In comparison, Broadcom trades at a forward P/S multiple of 14.46, while Cirrus Logic and Marvell Technology are at 2.76 and 5.71, respectively [20] Investment Recommendation - While CRDO is well-positioned in the AI-driven connectivity space, concerns regarding customer concentration, competitive pressures, and valuation suggest a cautious approach [21]