3 Tech Stocks to Own for the Rest of 2012

The fourth of July is fast upon us, which means we're already halfway through 2012. In this video, I discuss three technology stocks that I think will continue to outperform the competition during the remainder of the year. What all of these stocks have in common are solid earnings growth, and reliable returns. Also, they're among the top tech stocks for brand recognition.

Microsoft (NAS: MSFT) makes the cut for its proactive push into mobile computing. True, the software giant is late to the party. But between its new "Surface" PC tablet, and Windows 8 operating system, I think the company should be able to gain traction in the space. It's also worth mentioning that, instead of blaming its mobile market share issues on a somewhat failed partnership with Nokia (NYS: NOK) , Microsoft is introducing new products and working toward future profits in mobile.

Apple (NAS: AAPL) is also on the list. As much as investors are tired of hearing about the Mac maker, there's no denying that the stock looks cheap compared to the company's current and potential earnings. In the last five years alone, Apple's iPhone rang in $150 billion in revenue for the company. With its next generation iPhone on the horizon, I think we can expect big things from this stock in the future.

NVIDIA (NAS: NVDA) rounds out my top three in tech for 2012. In addition to being a leader in graphics and multimedia processing for PC computers, NVIDIA is dominating the mobile space. Recently, its chipset was chosen for Google's (NAS: GOOG) new tablet, which the search giant unveiled this week. NVIDIA's processors also beat out competitors for a spot in Apple's new retina display MacBook Pro.

All told, I suspect it will be a profitable rest of the year for these companies. That's why I'm giving shares of Apple, Microsoft, and NVIDIA an outperform CAPScall on my profile in Motley Fool CAPS.

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The article 3 Tech Stocks to Own for the Rest of 2012 originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Tamara Rutter owns shares of Apple. Follow her onTwitterusing the handle: @TamaraRutterfor weekly stock picks and other Foolish insights. The Motley Fool owns shares of Microsoft. The Fool owns shares of Apple. The Fool owns shares of Google. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended buying shares of Microsoft, NVIDIA, Apple, and Google. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Microsoft.Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended writing puts on NVIDIA. Motley Fool newsletter services have recommended creating a bull call spread position in Apple. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days.

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