Investing in Tech Companies
“Tech” refers to many things. It can mean technology in general, or it can mean technology applied to specific industries. In its broadest sense, however, it simply refers to any new technological development. That definition includes such developments as automobiles, clothing, digital information systems, office software, computer systems, and more. The sheer number of technological innovations over the course of history makes it possible for anyone to be involved in tech – from the engineer who designs a new type of aircraft or computer system to the customer who buys the new product that he or she has been paying for.
Not all innovations are new, however. There have been many successful applications of existing technology for at least one decade or more. Examples include cell phones, televisions, computers, and the internet. Together, these tech companies add up to enormous $1.9 trillion dollars in annual revenues.
Tech companies have an opportunity to profit from their investments. They can add to the value of their portfolios by using their technological know-how to make products that people need. They can add to the value of their portfolios by adding to the supply of available knowledge about particular topics. They can even create new markets by applying their innovations to existing ones. In fact, there is hardly a single industry that is not enhanced in some way by information technology, whether it is used for business purposes or for entertainment.
By increasing the value of existing technologies, tech firms increase their overall net worth. However, a company’s stock price only tells part of the story. To truly see the effects of a newly developed technology, it is necessary to analyze the company from a holistic perspective: how does the technology impact the company’s business model? Technological innovations do not just increase a company’s market cap; they also create processes and procedures that make the operation of the firm more efficient and productive.
When a company offers something new, it must first establish how such a product or technology will improve or enhance the operations of its existing offerings. A good example of a new use of technological infrastructure is the integration of customer service software into call centers. A number of tech companies have already been successful in this regard. The creation of a customer base is critical to a company’s survival. That is why the New York Stock Exchange has listed several promising companies that provide solutions to customer service problems.
In short, investing in tech companies has tremendous benefits. The chart above represents a snapshot of the market capitalization of a well-established technology company. At the end of this year, the value of the stock will likely fall because of the impact of a new technology or innovation. However, tTM (total transaction cost) analysis can be an important component of any analysis of a prospective tech investment. As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.