New York, Jan 18, 2026, 07:56 EST — The market has closed.
Navitas Semiconductor Corporation shares jumped 9.1% Friday, closing at $10.91 after trading between $10.22 and $11.15 amid heavy volume. The Nasdaq-listed power chipmaker has been volatile throughout the week, and Friday’s surge pushed it back into focus ahead of the long weekend.
Why it matters now: U.S. stock markets remain closed Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, extending the break and shifting focus to Tuesday’s open. For a high-beta small-cap like Navitas, any gaps could hit harder than usual, particularly following a steep move.
Friday saw chip stocks broadly outperform, pushing the Philadelphia semiconductor index up 1.2% as earnings season got underway and investors shifted focus to mid- and small-cap names, Reuters reported. “Historically the middle part of January tends to be pretty choppy,” said Bruce Zaro of Granite Wealth Management, highlighting how this kind of market action can magnify individual stock swings. Reuters
Options played a role as well. Brent Kochuba, founder of options analytics service SpotGamma, noted that Friday’s monthly expiry—the point when contracts linked to a set price and deadline vanish—should let the S&P 500 start moving more freely.
Navitas develops gallium nitride (GaN) and silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for power conversion and charging applications, including fast chargers, data centers, solar inverters, and electric vehicles, according to Reuters company data. These “wide bandgap” materials offer higher power efficiency than traditional silicon, but the sector remains highly competitive and challenging. Reuters
Traders are zeroing in on Navitas’ short interest, which stood at about 51.7 million shares as of Dec. 31. Those shares were borrowed and sold short, wagering the stock would drop, representing roughly 30% of the float according to some estimates, per Yahoo Finance data. Such heavy short positioning can spark rapid rallies if the stock climbs and short sellers scramble to cover.
There haven’t been any new earnings reports or significant filings from the company recently. The latest update on its website dates back to Jan. 7, announcing that CEO Chris Allexandre is set to join a fireside chat at Needham’s Growth Conference in New York on Jan. 14. Investors can watch the webcast.
Navitas is linking its pitch to the AI data center boom. Back in October, it announced development of GaN and SiC devices designed to support Nvidia’s 800-volt DC “AI factory” power setup. The company argues that moving beyond traditional rack power calls for fresh solutions focused on efficiency and density. navitassemi.com
The risks are clear. Navitas is still operating at a loss, and sharp single-day gains often vanish quickly when driven by positioning instead of fresh fundamentals. According to StockAnalysis data, Navitas pulled in roughly $56.6 million in revenue over the past year but racked up losses around $125 million during the same period.
Trading picks back up Tuesday, with investors focused on whether NVTS can keep above the $11 mark and if volume remains strong after the options reset and holiday pause. The timing of the next catalyst is uncertain. Data sources like StockAnalysis and Zacks suggest Navitas will report earnings around Feb. 23, but the company hasn’t officially set a date.
