Wireless and mobile stocks are underperforming the major market indices for the year so far. With just one month left in 2012, the RCR Composite is up 7.8% year to date, while the S&P 500 is up 12.6% year to date and the NASDAQ composite is up 15.2%.
The RCR Composite includes a carrier group and a mobile tech group. The carrier group is up just 2.5% year to date, weighed down by China Unicom and Telefonica, both of which are off by about 25% for the year. Leap Wireless is down 20% for the year, also contributing to the carrier group’s decline, and China Telecom is off 10% for the year.
On the upside, carriers Sprint Nextel and Cincinnati Bell have posted striking gains this year. Even before its announcement of plans to be acquired to Softbank, Sprint Nextel was making investors very happy. Now its stock is up 132% since Jan. 1. Cincinnati Bell is another winner, up 87% for the year.
The mobile tech group is up almost 10% for the year so far. Apple has helped this group along, as have eBay and SBA Communications.
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