Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd operates in the semiconductor industry, specializing in high-performance connectivity solutions like optical digital signal processors.
The company has established a strong market niche by providing critical components that enable faster data speeds for data infrastructure applications.
Updated: February 19, 2026, 16:00 EST
Based on a comprehensive analysis of CRDO, here is an assessment of whether the stock is worth buying.
Technical Perspective The stock exhibits extreme volatility, having delivered massive gains but also significant recent declines. While currently positioned neutrally within its 52-week range, its high beta of 2.65 confirms it is a high-risk, high-reward proposition prone to sharp swings.
Fundamental Perspective Fundamentally, CRDO is compelling. It showcases strong revenue growth (20% quarterly) and robust profitability with a 30.8% net margin. Its financial health is exceptional, characterized by virtually no debt, a fortress-like balance sheet, and substantial cash reserves.
Valuation & Risk Perspective The primary concern is valuation. Trading at a P/E over 100 and an EV/EBITDA over 400, the stock is priced for near-perfect future execution, leaving little room for error. This extreme valuation, combined with its high volatility, represents a substantial risk for investors.
Recommendation Despite its excellent operational fundamentals and pristine balance sheet, CRDO's current valuation is exceptionally demanding. The stock's extreme volatility and rich price tag make it suitable only for aggressive, risk-tolerant investors with a strong conviction in its long-term growth story. For most investors, waiting for a more attractive entry point or a period of reduced volatility would be prudent. This is not investment advice, for reference only.
Based on a 12-month outlook for CRDO, the primary catalyst will be the company's ability to sustain its impressive revenue growth trajectory and high profitability. Successfully meeting or exceeding market expectations for quarterly earnings is paramount to justifying its extreme valuation.
The most significant risk is a failure to deliver flawless execution, which could cause a sharp de-rating of its premium multiples. The stock's high beta (2.65) also leaves it highly vulnerable to negative market sentiment or sector-wide downturns, amplifying potential downside.
Given the lack of a specific analyst target price, investors should focus on the valuation risk. A reasonable target range is highly speculative, but the stock's performance will likely be binary—either meeting growth expectations to push higher or disappointing, leading to a significant correction from the current $132.26 price.
Most Wall Street analysts are optimistic about Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd's 12-month outlook, with consensus target around $130.66, indicating expected upside potential.
Overall, CRDO has investment potential but also faces challenges. Here are key factors to weigh before investing.
CRDO has demonstrated exceptionally volatile but strongly positive overall performance, with the current price representing a substantial 355% gain from its 52-week low despite recent weakness.
The stock has experienced significant short-term pressure, declining over 12% in the past month and nearly 18% over three months, substantially underperforming the broader market by approximately 18 percentage points during that period. This recent weakness reflects heightened volatility consistent with the stock's elevated beta of 2.65.
Currently trading at approximately 62% above its 52-week low but 38% below its peak, CRDO appears to be in a neutral position within its annual range rather than severely overbought or oversold. However, the maximum drawdown of -55.74% over the past year highlights the substantial risk inherent in this high-volatility name.
| Period | CRDO Return | S&P 500 |
|---|---|---|
| 1m | -14.7% | +1.0% |
| 3m | -8.6% | +1.9% |
| 6m | +4.2% | +6.5% |
| 1y | +83.3% | +12.1% |
| ytd | -8.8% | +0.2% |
Revenue & Profitability: CRDO demonstrates strong revenue growth with quarterly revenue increasing from $223 million to $268 million, representing approximately 20% sequential growth. Profitability metrics are robust, with net income rising to $82.6 million and maintaining a healthy net profit margin of 30.8%, while gross margins remain stable around 67.5%. The company shows excellent earnings quality with minimal tax impact and strong conversion from operating income to net income.
Financial Health: The company maintains an exceptionally strong balance sheet with virtually no debt, evidenced by a negligible debt ratio of 0.9% and no long-term debt. Liquidity is outstanding with current and quick ratios above 7.8, supported by substantial cash reserves representing over $4.68 per share. Operating cash flow generation is solid at 23% of revenue, providing ample financial flexibility.
Operational Efficiency: CRDO shows moderate operational efficiency with an ROE of 6.4% and ROA of 5.7%, though asset turnover is relatively low at 0.18. The extended cash conversion cycle of 171 days indicates working capital management could be improved, particularly inventory turnover which stands at just 0.58 times. Fixed asset utilization is more efficient at 2.64 times, suggesting better deployment of capital assets.
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Try Now & Get Tesla Stock RewardValuation Level: CRDO's valuation metrics present significant concerns, with a TTM PE of 106.34 and a forward PE of 98.55. Both figures indicate an extremely high earnings multiple, heavily reliant on future growth expectations. This is further confirmed by an exceptionally high EV/EBITDA of 409.34 and a Price-to-Book ratio of 17.53, suggesting the stock is trading at a substantial premium to its current asset base and earnings power.
Peer Comparison: Without industry average data, a direct peer comparison is not possible. However, the magnitude of CRDO's valuation multiples—particularly the PE over 100 and EV/EBITDA over 400—typically signifies a highly speculative, growth-priced asset relative to most market sectors. The elevated PEG ratio of 3.65 also indicates that even its growth prospects may not fully justify its current price, warranting caution for value-conscious investors.
Volatility Risk: With a beta of 2.65, CRDO is projected to be significantly more volatile than the broader market, experiencing price swings over two and a half times as intense. This high volatility is confirmed by the substantial one-year maximum drawdown of -55.74%, indicating the stock has already demonstrated a severe capacity for significant loss during market downturns.
Other Risks: While the absence of reported short interest suggests a lack of active, concentrated bearish sentiment from short sellers, it does not eliminate fundamental or sector-specific risks. The stock may still face liquidity or execution risks, especially during periods of high volatility, given its small-cap profile common to securities with such a high beta.
Neutral to cautiously bullish - suitable for growth-focused investors with high risk tolerance. While CRDO shows impressive revenue growth (272% YoY) and solid profitability in the AI connectivity space, its extreme valuation (PE >100) and high volatility (beta 2.65) create substantial near-term risk. The stock is best suited for investors who can withstand potential 50%+ drawdowns while betting on long-term AI infrastructure growth.
Based on the provided data, CRDO appears to be overvalued. Key valuation metrics such as the PE ratio of 106 and PS ratio of 28 are extremely high, even for a growth stock, and the PEG ratio of 3.65 suggests its growth prospects are already more than priced in. While the company boasts exceptional financial health with no debt and strong profitability, these fundamentals do not sufficiently justify the speculative premium embedded in its current price, especially considering its low asset turnover and ROE.
Based on the provided information, here are the key risks of holding CRDO:
1. Extreme Price Volatility: With a beta of 2.65 and a maximum drawdown of -55.74% in the past year, the stock is highly susceptible to severe price swings, making it significantly riskier than the broader market. 2. Operational and Liquidity Risk: A cash conversion cycle of 171 days and a low inventory turnover of 0.58 indicate potential inefficiencies in working capital management, which could strain liquidity and profitability despite a strong balance sheet. 3. Small-Cap Vulnerability: As a small-cap stock exhibiting such high volatility, CRDO faces elevated liquidity and execution risks, particularly during market stress, which can amplify price declines like the recent 18% drop over three months.
The risk of weak asset utilization (low asset turnover of 0.18) is notable but is partially mitigated by the company's strong profitability and debt-free financial position.
Based on the provided analysis, here is a forecast for CRDO stock through 2026.
My base case target for 2026 is $140-$160, with a bull case of $180+, contingent on the company sustaining its high revenue growth above 15-20% annually and maintaining its premium valuation multiples. The key growth drivers are flawless execution to meet quarterly earnings expectations, continued market share gains in its sector, and leveraging its debt-free balance sheet for strategic initiatives. The primary assumption is that macroeconomic conditions remain stable, allowing for continued investor risk appetite for high-growth, high-multiple stocks. This forecast is highly uncertain, as the stock's high beta makes it exceptionally sensitive to market sentiment, and any operational misstep could trigger a significant derating from its current valuation.