Cray

Cray (NSDQ: CRAY) could benefit from one of the largest awards given to academic research for supercomputers this year. The National Science Foundation granted $110 million to The Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment, known as XSEDE for a big data project. That money could be used to buy Cray computers. This group, based at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has assisted more than 6,000 researchers and houses Blue Waters, a super computer made by Cray Research that can complete more than one quadrillion calculations per second.

Integrated Device Technology

Integrated (NSDQ: IDTI) announced a new chip for telecommunications networks last week. Combined with IBM’s servers, it allows devices to be controlled over 4G and 5G networks outside of the central server location. Some applications include controlling devices like robots, vehicles or video cameras even from the “edge” of a network. For telecommunication companies with wide service areas, technicians might need to control devices remotely when they are working out in the field or the “edge” of the company’s network.

Lattice Semiconductor

Lattice (NSDQ: LSCC) shares were lifted with the whole semiconductor group as speculation that TPG private equity group would bid for competitor Cypress Semiconductor. Recent reports in the press speculate that TPG has been formulating a purchase price for Cypress.

Omnova

Omnova (NYSE: OMN) presented at Midwest Ideas Investors’ conference sponsored by Three Part Advisors on August 30. CFO Paul DeSantis laid out the company’s plan to grow sales at twice the rate of underlying markets while expanding profit margins with a more profitable mix of specialty chemicals. The company also refinanced its credit line, which is expected to reduce their interest expense by $2 million per year.