Apple is not among the top 10 gainers in the S&P 500. But it had a great year thanks to the launch of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. That helped lift the fortune of many companies in the Apple ecosystem. And Avago may be the biggest beneficiary.
Avago (AVGO) shares have soared almost 90% this year. Avago makes wireless chips used in smartphones. The stock surged during the summer as traders and analysts bet that Avago products would be featured prominently in the latest iPhones.
The rumors turned out to be true, but the stock briefly sold off following the official iPhone 6 launch before bouncing back. The rebound makes sense. Cisco and Samsung are also big customers. And the company's growth is phenomenal. Avago reported in December that sales in its most recent fiscal year rose more than 70% from a year ago while profits soared more than 80%. -- PRL
