The start of 2023 was so promising, but it didn’t last. Fears of a recession have returned, and a banking crisis is underway. Additionally, the energy market, the sector that dominated 2022 is now getting crushed by lower oil prices.

One area of the market that has performed well YTD, and held up over the last month is Tech. Following a brutal 2022 for the sector, and with financials and energy now out of favor, it seems now may be an opportunity to rotate back into technology stocks.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
 

Microsoft

Over the last month, while the S&P 500 and broad market have been rolling over, Microsoft (MSFT - Free Report)  has significantly outperformed. You can see that last week was very good for MSFT right as the worst of the banking crisis happened.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Microsoft, is, of course, the PC and software giant that dominates the industry with more than 80% of the computer operating systems market share. Over the last 10 years, MSFT has returned more than 5x the benchmark, but over the last year, it has underperformed.

This underperformance has allowed MSFT’s valuation to cool off and trade back to a more reasonable level. Today it is trading at 28x one-year forward earnings, which is in line with its five-year median, and well off its high of 38x. This isn’t what you would call a value stock, but as one of the largest, most robust, and consistent companies in the world, you have to pay a premium.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Microsoft holds a Zack Rank #3 (Hold), indicating a mixed earnings revision trend. Earnings have indeed been revised lower, but analysts still expect sales and earnings growth for the tech giant. If tough times are coming for the markets, sometimes you have to focus on stocks that act as havens. Earnings revisions may not be higher, but relatively speaking MSFT is going to be a safer bet than many others.

Microsoft is also leading the way with its investment in the leading artificial intelligence technology. MSFT is a major investor in OpenAI, which is revolutionizing the newest innovations in AI through its ChatGPT software. The two have already partnered on a few projects such as the Microsoft Teams application.

Microsoft also offers a tidy 1% dividend yield. The dividend has been raised by an average of 10% annually over the last five years.
 

Apple

Apple (AAPL - Free Report)  is another tech giant that has acted as a haven amid the banking fallout. Although it too currently earns a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), indicating a mixed earnings revision trend, the stock has performed well. Both Apple and Microsoft make up the largest positions in many of the leading tech and broad market indexes. Thus, their strong performances can really drag the whole market higher.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Like Microsoft, Apple and its products are cemented as absolute necessities in today’s economy. Even during the very challenging last year AAPL stock has barely budged. It has traded sideways though, which has allowed its valuation to cool off over the last year.

Today, Apple is trading at one-year forward earnings multiple of 25x, which is just below its three-year median of 26x. Apple also offers a small dividend yield of 0.6% and has increased it by an average of 7% annually over the last five years.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Apple also carries out massive share buyback programs with no signs of slowing. Over the last decade, apple has bought back $550 billion of its own shares, which is more than any US corporation. And in 2022 alone AAPL bought $90 billion worth of. This has reduced shares by nearly 40% over the last ten years and has been a boon to share prices.
 

Meta Platforms

Meta Platforms (META - Free Report)  has quickly turned into one of the best-performing stocks in the market YTD. This performance follows one of the worst performances last year, with the stock down nearly -80% in 2022. Meta has also made significant cuts to its workforce over the last year to dramatically rein in costs and boost profitability.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Meta boasts a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), indicating upward trending earnings revisions. Last quarter META beat earnings expectations by 42%, and next quarter is projected to beat by 7%.

Over the last 90 days, META has seen its earnings estimates revised significantly higher, with next quarter’s earnings being upgraded by 33%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

After trading as low as 10x one-year forward earnings last year, META is now trading at 20x one-year forward earnings. This is still below its five-year median of 23x.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research
 

Conclusion

Big tech is coming off one of its worst years in recent history, and Meta, Apple, and Microsoft have only cemented themselves deeper into society. The strength of their business models makes these stocks akin to bonds, with earnings and sales growth nearly guaranteed.

Sometimes, when markets are getting volatile the best thing to do is look for stocks that will do less bad than other stocks. 

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