HOW TO PLAY IT

Like them or not, Apple’s iconic white AirPods have become

ubiquitous, spawning a vibrant ecosystem for component

suppliers like Varta. The best way to play this

trend with a public company is Qualcomm, which designs semiconductors for the next era of low-power wireless communications.

Its newest chip designs, aimed at the mass market, integrate active noise canceling and mirroring.

For wireless earphones, this means immersive sound and more reliable connections for voice controls

like Siri and Google Assistant at an affordable price. Qualcomm logged 2019 sales of $24.3 billion, up 7.3% yearover-year. The company signed an agreement last April with Apple to supply wireless technology. At a recent $68, the shares are excellent value.

Jon D. Markman

is president of Markman Capital Insight and the editor of Fast Forward Investing.