3 Stocks Flying Under the S&P 500 Radar

Group 1: S&P 500 and Investment Strategies - The S&P 500 is a benchmark index widely used by investors, with the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) being a popular choice for passive investment, particularly benefiting from mega-cap technology stocks in recent years [1][2] - The SPY is a market-cap weighted index, which may lead to increased risk and lower rewards as it focuses on stocks with the highest market capitalizations, regardless of other fundamentals [1] - Investors are encouraged to diversify their portfolios by considering small-cap and international stocks, which may offer higher growth potential, especially during the early stages of innovation cycles like AI [3] Group 2: LiDAR Technology and Autonomous Vehicles - Companies like Tesla and Alphabet are advancing in the autonomous vehicle sector, launching fleets of robotaxis and AVs in select markets [4] - Aeva Technologies is positioned in the LiDAR space with a unique 4D LiDAR system that measures distance and velocity using Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology, although it currently has a market cap of $1.3 billion [5][6] - Aeva's stock has seen significant growth, up 401% in 2025, despite recent declines due to high short interest [7] - Ouster Inc. is focusing on defense and industrial automation markets, with its digital LiDAR approved by the U.S. Department of Defense for unmanned aircraft, aligning with increased defense spending [9] - Ouster's stock is up approximately 126% in 2025, with a notable increase of over 258% in the last three months, although revenue realization from projects may take time [10] Group 3: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing - Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) is a major player in the chip sector with a market cap exceeding $1.25 trillion, and it has strong contracts with companies like Apple, AMD, and NVIDIA [12][13] - TSMC's stock has increased by 22% in 2025, with a strong earnings report showing a 50% year-over-year revenue increase and a 66% increase in earnings per share [14] - Despite geopolitical concerns, institutional investors continue to support TSMC, indicating a bullish outlook for the stock [14]