3 Stocks Flying Under the S&P 500 Radar

Key Points

• Unique 4D LiDAR tech fuels Aeva’s 400% YTD gain despite early-stage risks.
• Defense and robotics markets drive Ouster’s breakout gains ahead of Q2 earnings.
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing just posted 50% revenue growth, ensuring its spot as a core AI infrastructure play.

The S&P 500 is the benchmark index used by most investors. In fact, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust NYSEARCA: SPY is one of the most widely held index funds for passive investors. Investing in the SPY has been a good strategy in the last few years as mega-cap technology stocks dominated the market.

This had the added benefit of giving investors exposure to themes like industrial automation, artificial intelligence (AI), and semiconductors.

However, as the market rally broadens into other sectors, focusing only on those names can introduce investors to more risk and less reward than they may think. The SPY is a market-cap weighted index, which means it will buy the stocks with the highest market capitalizations, independent of any other fundamentals.

As of July 24, its two largest holdings are NVIDIA Corp. NASDAQ: NVDA and Microsoft Corp. NASDAQ: MSFT.

The good news is that investors benefit from the positive momentum in these stocks. However, that growth comes at a premium, and investors may not capture faster-growing stocks.

Investors looking to diversify their portfolio should consider the opportunities in small-cap and international stocks. These can offer higher growth potential, especially at the beginning of a long-term innovation cycle like what is happening with AI.

A Measured Approach to the Growth in LiDAR Technology

Autonomous vehicles (AVs) are an emerging story. Companies such as Tesla Inc. NASDAQ: TSLA and Alphabet Inc. NASDAQ: GOOGL have launched fleets of their robotaxis and Waymo AVs in select markets around the world.

Now, the question is one of scale. In the case of Waymo, that will mean LiDAR technology. Investors see that opportunity in a company like Aeva Technologies Inc. NASDAQ: AEVA. With a market cap of $1.3 billion, it’s not the biggest name in the LiDAR space.

However, the company differentiates itself with a 4D LiDAR system that measures distance and velocity using a unique Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (FMCW) technology.

The ability to measure velocity is a key advancement in LiDAR technology and allows Aeva to notch several contracts in the autonomous vehicle space in 2025. This is not contributing to revenue yet, but investors are looking past that. AEVA stock is up 401% in 2025.

In June and July, analysts from Roth Capital and Oppenheimer raised their price targets on the stock. However, the stock is down 20% in the last month suggesting that short interest over 17% is weighing on the stock.

A Defensive Play in Autonomous Technology

Ouster Inc. NYSE: OUST is an example of why there’s enough room in the autonomous vehicle space for several competitors. In the case of Ouster, it’s not how the company is executing on LiDAR technology; it’s where.

Ouster is focusing on defense, robotics, and industrial automation markets. In June, the company’s digital LiDAR was approved by the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) for unmanned aircraft. This aligns with the Pentagon's plans to use the increased defense spending coming after the One Big, Beautiful Bill passed through Congress.

However, the revenue from these projects will take time to be realized. That’s why investors may need to wait for a better entry point. As of this writing, OUST stock is up approximately 126% in 2025 and over 258% in the last three months. It’s well above its consensus price target as animal spirits are taking over the market. Nevertheless, the company’s upcoming earnings in August could give the bulls the upper hand.

This International AI Infrastructure Giant is Still Growing

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing NYSE: TSM is hardly a small-cap company. With a market cap of over $1.25 trillion, the Taiwan-based chip foundry is one of the largest companies in the chip sector. It’s also one of the best-performing stocks and has room to run.

A key reason for investors to believe in the company’s growth is its contracts with Apple Inc. NASDAQ: AAPL, Advanced Micro Devices Inc. NASDAQ: AMD and NVIDIA. With few competitors to threaten its leadership, Taiwan Semiconductor will continue to be at the heart of chip manufacturing.

TSM stock is up 22% in 2025, but the focus is likely on what’s next. The company delivered a strong earnings report on July 17 with revenue up 50% year-over-year (YOY) and earnings per share (EPS) up 66% YOY. Institutional investors continue to invest in the company despite geopolitical concerns, fueling the stock's bullish outlook.