What Happened?
Shares of analog chip manufacturer Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN) fell 6.3% in the afternoon session after China imposed a 34% tariff on all U.S. imports amid escalating trade war tensions. This was especially rough for the US chipmakers because a big chunk of their business leans on demand out of China. The new tariffs not only threaten to erode profit margins but also risk reducing market share.
Adding to the uncertainty, the Trump administration signaled the possibility of further regulatory action against the sector. Although semiconductor firms were notably excluded from the broad tariffs unveiled on April 2, 2025, their exclusion raised concerns that targeted restrictions could still be forthcoming.
The shares closed the day at $151.41, down 7.8% from previous close.
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What The Market Is Telling Us
Texas Instruments’s shares are not very volatile and have only had 9 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful, although it might not be something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was a day ago when the stock dropped 7.5% on the news that President Trump announced "reciprocal tariffs" on all US imports, set at a minimum rate of 10%. Markets reacted negatively to the announcement, reflecting deep concerns among investors about the broader economic implications. The tariffs were likely seen as a significant threat to global trade flows, with the potential to slow economic growth, drive up consumer prices, and spark retaliatory measures.
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives captured the prevailing market anxiety, stating, "We would characterize this slate of tariffs as 'worse than the worst case scenario' the Street was fearing." His comment highlighted how the scope and severity of the tariffs far exceeded Wall Street's expectations, adding a new layer of uncertainty for businesses and investors.
Texas Instruments is down 19% since the beginning of the year, and at $151.39 per share, it is trading 31.3% below its 52-week high of $220.29 from November 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Texas Instruments’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,389.
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