SiRF Technology Holdings: Making it hard to get lost

Of all the conveniences made possible by semiconductor technology, the ability to find out just where we are is among the most intriguing. There is an outfit in San Jose, California that allows widely-owned electronic devices to incorporate "Portable Location Awareness".

SiRF Technology Holdings (NASDAQ:SIRF) provides global positioning system chip sets with embedded GPS software, for use in mobile consumer products and commercial applications. The firm's devices allow manufacturers to add navigation, mapping and tracking capabilities to their mobile phones, automotive electronic systems, personal digital assistants, notebook computers, recreational GPS handhelds and digital cameras. SiRF has expanded its offerings, through an agreement with Conexant Systems (NASDAQ:CNXT).

The company pleased the Street last week, when it reported Q4 EPS of 28 cents and revenues of $74.2 million. Analysts had been looking for 25 cents and $69.9 million. A 55.3 percent gross margin also topped the Street expectation (54.4%). Further, management guided Q1 EPS to 20-23 cents (20 cent consensus), Q1 revenues to $65-$68 million ($65.03M consensus) and FY07 revenues to $320-$330 million ($305.4M consensus). The CEO said the company enjoyed record revenue, shipment and operating income levels in Q4 and was carrying a strong order backlog into Q1. The news popped SIRF shares past 50-day, 90-day and 200-day moving average resistance into a bullish "flag" consolidation pattern. Stocks frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling when they entered them. In this case, that would be to the upside.