Here are analysts’ favorite picks for the next 12 months Getty ImagesAnalysts polled by FactSet expect shares of Yahoo to rise 35% over the next 12 months.With the Nasdaq Composite Index close to its previous intraday record of 5,132.52, set 15 years ago, we’ve been highlighting groups of stocks that may be of interest, including the 10 stocks pushing the index to a new high, the top-performing and cheapest stocks in the Nasdaq’s hottest sector, and the best-performing Nasdaq tech stocks. The Nasdaq COMP, -0.49% is up 4.9% this year, outperforming the S&P 500SPX, -0.30% which is up 2.7%, as well as the S&P 400 Mid Cap Index MID, -0.39%which has risen 4.5%, and the S&P 600 Small Cap Index SML, -0.40% up 2.3%. The Nasdaq tends to trade at a higher forward price-to-earnings ratio than the three main S&P indices. However, the S&P indices all trade at higher forward P/Es than they did 10 years ago. But the Nasdaq is trading for 18 times aggregate forward earnings estimates, lower than its forward P/E of 19.9 back in February 2005. FactSetThe Nasdaq chart looks strong, with the 20-day and 50-day moving averages on upward curves.Analysts’ favorite Nasdaq tech stocks As a follow-up to our look at the Nasdaq’s tech winners, we decided to list the tech names that analysts expect to rise the most over the next 12 months. We filtered the list a bit, limiting the stocks to those trading above a dollar a share, and to those covered by at least two sell-side analysts. Here are the 10 Nasdaq tech stocks with the most upside potential, based on consensus price targets among analysts polled by FactSet and Tuesday’s closing prices:CompanyTickerIndustryClosing price - Feb. 24Consensus price targetImplied 12-month upside potentialDaqo New Energy Corp. Sponsored ADRDQ,+6.52%Semiconductors$20.60$59.46189%Five9 Inc.FIVN,+1.04%Electronic Data Processing Services$3.81$9.20141%MoSys Inc.MOSY,-10.89%Semiconductors$1.88$4.50139%iDreamSky Technology Ltd. Sponsored ADR Class ADSKY,-4.26%Software$11.32$27.00139%GigOptix Inc.GIG,+10.83%Semiconductors$1.15$2.63129%Ceragon Networks Ltd.CRNT,+2.56%Radio and TV Broadcasting Equipment$1.14$2.55124%Intermolecular Inc.IMI,+3.47%Semiconductors$1.67$3.67120%Upland Software Inc.UPLD,-0.84%Software$6.99$15.33119%Marin Software Inc.MRIN,-0.30%Electronic Data Processing Services$6.48$13.63110%NeoPhotonics Corp.NPTN,+9.85%Semiconductors$3.24$6.75108%Sources: Nasdaq and FactSetAs you might expect for a group of small-cap growth stocks, most aren’t expected by analysts to turn a profit this year or in 2016. Here are forward price-to-earnings ratios for the four companies above that are expected to show positive operating earnings next year:CompanyTickerClosing price - Feb. 24Consensus 2016 EPS estimateForward price to earnings ratioDaqo New Energy Corp. Sponsored ADRDQ,+6.52%$20.60$6.453.2iDreamSky Technology Ltd. Sponsored ADR Class ADSKY,-4.26%$11.32$2.474.6GigOptix Inc.GIG,+10.83%$1.15$0.0814.4Ceragon Networks Ltd.CRNT,+2.56%$1.14$0.196.1Source: FactSetThis chart includes total returns for 2015 through Tuesday, as well as last year and longer periods, showing just how risky this group of tech stocks can be, and how important it is to do a whole lot of research on your own before jumping in:CompanyTickerTotal return - YTDTotal return - 2014Total return - 3 yearsTotal return - 5 yearsDaqo New Energy Corp. Sponsored ADRDQ,+6.52%-22%-27%24%N/AFive9 Inc.FIVN,+1.04%-15%N/AN/AN/AMoSys Inc.MOSY,-10.89%1%-66%-53%-49%iDreamSky Technology Ltd. Sponsored ADR Class ADSKY,-4.26%-34%N/AN/AN/AGigOptix Inc.GIG,+10.83%-4%-22%-38%-43%Ceragon Networks Ltd.CRNT,+2.56%13%-66%-88%-90%Intermolecular Inc.IMI,+3.47%-13%-61%-78%N/AUpland Software Inc.UPLD,-0.84%-27%N/AN/AN/AMarin Software Inc.MRIN,-0.30%-23%-17%N/AN/ANeoPhotonics Corp.NPTN,+9.85%-4%-52%-41%N/ATotal returns assume reinvestment of dividends. Source: FactSetA conservative list of Nasdaq tech favoritesThere are 120 Nasdaq tech stocks with market capitalizations of more than $5 billion. Here are the 10 that analysts expect will rise the most over the next 12 months:CompanyTickerIndustryClosing price - Feb. 24Consensus price targetImplied 12-month upside potentialMobileye NVMBLY,-0.87%Software$35.30$55.7558%Micron Technology Inc.MU,+0.16%Semiconductors$30.77$42.0537%Yahoo Inc.YHOO,-0.38%Internet Software/ Services$43.38$58.7735%SunEdison Inc.SUNE,-0.63%Semiconductors$23.29$30.6432%King Digital Entertainment PLCKING,-1.00%Internet Software/ Services$16.17$20.8229%Baidu Inc. Sponsored ADR Class ABIDU,-1.03%Internet Software/ Services$208.06$253.0522%United Rentals Inc.URI,-1.27%Finance/ Rental/ Leasing$93.86$112.3320%Sabre Corp.SABR,+0.23%Information Technology Services$21.63$25.2717%First Solar Inc.FSLR,+1.81%Semiconductors$54.70$63.8017%Qorvo Inc.QRVO,-2.98%Semiconductors$69.34$80.6816%Sources: Nasdaq and FactSetHere are forward price-to-earnings ratios for this group of mid-cap and large-cap Nasdaq tech stocks:CompanyTickerClosing price - Feb. 24Consensus 2016 EPS estimateForward price to earnings ratioMobileye NVMBLY,-0.87%$35.30$0.7149.9Micron Technology Inc.MU,+0.16%$30.77$4.197.3Yahoo Inc.YHOO,-0.38%$43.38$0.9545.6SunEdison Inc.SUNE,-0.63%$23.29-$0.90N/AKing Digital Entertainment PLCKING,-1.00%$16.17$1.868.7Baidu Inc. Sponsored ADR Class ABIDU,-1.03%$208.06$10.3920.0United Rentals Inc.URI,-1.27%$93.86$9.3510.0Sabre Corp.SABR,+0.23%$21.63$1.2916.8First Solar Inc.FSLR,+1.81%$54.70$3.4915.7Qorvo Inc.QRVO,-2.98%$69.34$5.7212.1Source: FactSetHere are total returns for the favored Nasdaq mid-cap and large-cap tech stocks:CompanyTickerTotal return - YTDTotal return - 2014Total return - 3 yearsTotal return - 5 yearsMobileye NVMBLY,-0.87%-13%N/AN/AN/AMicron Technology Inc.MU,+0.16%-12%61%287%239%Yahoo Inc.YHOO,-0.38%-14%25%191%178%SunEdison Inc.SUNE,-0.63%19%50%457%93%King Digital Entertainment PLCKING,-1.00%5%N/AN/AN/ABaidu Inc. Sponsored ADR Class ABIDU,-1.03%-9%28%54%312%United Rentals Inc.URI,-1.27%-8%31%119%1,175%Sabre Corp.SABR,+0.23%7%N/AN/AN/AFirst Solar Inc.FSLR,+1.81%23%-18%54%-48%Qorvo Inc.QRVO,-2.98%4%222%252%296%Total returns assume reinvestment of dividends. Source: FactSet Philip van Doorn