These Were the 3 Top-Performing Stocks in the Nasdaq-100 in August 2025
Nasdaq-100's August champions just schooled traditional portfolios—again.
While Wall Street analysts were busy downgrading tech stocks, these three names quietly delivered triple-digit returns in a single month. The usual suspects? Not even close.
AI Infrastructure Play Surges 240%
One semiconductor manufacturer capitalized on the AI arms race—supplying the picks and shovels while gold miners fought over claims. Their chips now power everything from quantum computing clusters to autonomous trading algorithms.
Biotech Breakthrough Nets 185% Gain
A gene-editing firm received landmark FDA approval for its neurodegenerative treatment. Short sellers got squeezed harder than a PCR test tube—turns out curing actual diseases beats selling overpriced pharmaceuticals.
Quantum Computing Leap Delivers 162% Return
This hardware developer achieved quantum supremacy on commercially viable hardware. Legacy computing companies are now scrambling to retrofit their data centers—like teaching a typewriter to send emails.
Meanwhile, traditional fund managers are still arguing about whether tech valuations are 'reasonable' while these companies redefine entire industries. Maybe they should try investing in something that wasn't invented before the internet.
1. Intel: Up 23%
Semiconductor giant(INTC -2.09%) led the charge with a 23% gain in August. Coming off a painful drop in July and several years of generally bearish stock market trends, Intel finally caught a break. The TRUMP administration struck a deal to acquire 9.9% of Intel's stock, creating a unique financing relationship between the U.S. government and a public company.
The deal didn't unlock a huge single-day price gain, but more of a slow rise as deal details started hitting the rumor mill. It also didn't cure every problem Intel faces, and the stock still trades 10% below its 2025 highs.
As a longtime shareholder, I'm still wondering whether this financing agreement is a good thing for Intel or a dilutive event for stock owners -- and it could be both.
2. AppLovin: Up 22.5%
Mobile marketing expert(APP 1.87%) comes next, with a 22.5% August return. The company published second-quarter results on Aug. 6, crushing Wall Street's bottom-line projections and sending stock prices 12% higher the next day. AppLovin has been building on these gains, setting fresh all-time highs on a nearly daily basis recently.
Image source: Getty Images.
AppLovin's Q2 revenues jumped 77% year over year, while adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) doubled. Many companies come up with adjusted profit metrics to shine a more bullish light on their financial results. But AppLovin moved in the opposite direction, as unadjusted net profits increased by a stunning 164%.
3. Idexx Laboratories: Up 21.1%
Finally,(IDXX -0.53%) enjoyed a 21.1% return in August. The pet healthcare specialist also posted Q2 results early in the month, impressing investors with a clean beat-and-raise performance.
Idexx saw particularly strong growth in consumable pet-care products and recurring service revenues. A recently launched cancer test for dogs posted strong sales in North America, while management worked to expand its reach internationally.
The company can't quite keep up with AppLovin's explosive growth, but it's still a healthy growth investment. Expect to continue paying a growth-based premium for this stock.
