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☆ Amazon just posted a blowout second-quarter report. What analysts are saying
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

AMZN 1D mountain Amazon popped after strong earnings JPMorgan's Doug Anmuth reiterated an overweight rating on Amazon and raised his price target to $180 price target, implying roughly 40% upside from Thursday's $128.81 close. Anmuth said on Friday that the second-quarter results and third-quarter outlook will help lift shares higher, and also pointed to strength in Amazon Web Services. Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan also hiked his price target to $180 from $165, keeping his buy rating on the stock. Bank of America's Justin Post, meanwhile, raised his price target to $174 from $154, implying a 35% gain from Thursday's close. Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak increased his price target on Amazon to $175 to $150 and reiterated his overweight rating.

Persons: Doug Anmuth, Anmuth, AMZN, Goldman Sachs, Eric Sheridan, Sheridan, headwinds, Bank of America's Justin Post, Citi's Ronald Josey, Josey, Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak, Nowak, Michael Bloom Organizations: Wall, Amazon, Web Services, Bank of America's, Amazon Web Services, 3Q Locations: Thursday's

☆ Here's the trade on Amazon heading into earnings, according to analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-03 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Wall Street analysts are bullish on Amazon heading into earnings. Here's how several analysts are trading Amazon ahead of its latest earnings report. Bank of America is also bullish, maintaining its buy rating and $154 price target into earnings, which suggests roughly 20% upside. "We continue to see an attractive set-up on the stock based on our Triple Trough Thesis (trough multiple, trough margin, and trough revenue growth). On Monday, the firm reiterated its buy rating and $145 price target, which suggests 13% upside from Wednesday's close.

Persons: StreetAccount, Morgan Stanley, Brian Nowak, Nowak, Lloyd Walmsley, Walmsley, Justin Post, Amazon's, Mark Mahaney's, Mahaney, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Amazon Web Services, UBS, Bank of America, AWS, Triple, Citi Locations: 1Q23

☆ Wall Street analysts cheer Alphabet earnings, see more gains ahead for tech giant
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Google-parent Alphabet posted strong second-quarter numbers that had many Wall Street analysts gushing. Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan reaffirmed a buy rating on Alphabet stock, with his $152 price target implying more than 24% upside. Citi's Ronald Josey maintained a buy rating on with a higher $153 price target, which amounts to more than 25% upside for Alphabet stock. "As revenue growth reaccelerates on an improving online advertising environment and management's greater focus on operating efficiencies, we look for margins to expand going forward as revenue growth consistently outpaces opex growth," Josey said. Wells Fargo analyst Ken Gawrelski reiterated an equal weight rating on Alphabet stock on Wednesday, although with an increased $121 per share price target.

Persons: Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak, Nowak, Bard, OpenAI, Goldman Sachs, Eric Sheridan, Sheridan, Bank of America's Justin Post, Citi's Ronald Josey, Josey, Wells, Ken Gawrelski, Michael Bloom Organizations: Google, Refinitiv, GOOGL, Microsoft, Bank of America's, Citi, Google Cloud Services, DOJ

☆ Snap stock drops 19% on weak forecast
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Snap shares plunged at the start of trading, falling 19% as analysts and investors recoiled from a weaker-than-expected forecast for the current period. Overall sales declined 4% year-over-year, with a slightly-than-expected lower-end total sales forecast for the third quarter. The broader social media industry has become "harder" to forecast in, CEO Evan Spiegel said in an interview with CNBC's Julia Boorstin on Wednesday. Morgan Stanley maintained a $6.5 price target and an underweight rating on the social media stock. Bank of America analyst Justin Post reiterated a neutral rating and an $11 price target.

Persons: Evan Spiegel, CNBC's Julia Boorstin, Morgan Stanley, Brian Nowak, Nowak, Justin Post, CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Viva Technology, Bank of America, Online Locations: Paris, North America

☆ Morgan Stanley's top picks for the rest of earnings season
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Hakyung Kim | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

While Wall Street's expectations are lower this corporate earnings season, there are still several stocks Morgan Stanley said could rise in the near term. Morgan Stanley's estimates for second-quarter earnings are down 9% year to date and flat sales growth, which the firm attributes to lagged and elevated costs. Amazon is one of Morgan Stanley's top picks for this earnings season. The firm believes potential catalysts include positive earnings revisions and its AWS Summit on cloud computing and generative artificial intelligence. He added that multiple appreciation and earnings revisions could drive the stock upward.

Persons: Morgan Stanley, Morgan Stanley's, Michelle Weaver, Brian Nowak, Brian Harbour, Yum, Elizabeth Porter, Porter, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Pharmaceutical, Merck, Pfizer, Devices, Tech, Amazon, Yum Brands, Taco Bell Locations: North America, China

☆ Here's the trade on Meta ahead of earnings, according to top analysts
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-26 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The forthcoming quarterly results from Meta Platforms on Wednesday have analysts chomping at the bit. Ahead of Meta's second-quarter results on Wednesday after the closing bell, here's how some analysts on Wall Street are trading the social media behemoth. Citi analyst Ronald Josey reiterated a buy rating on Meta stock on Tuesday, accompanied by a $360 per share price target. META YTD mountain Meta stock has surged nearly 150% from the start of the year. Bank of America's Justin Post reiterated his buy rating on Meta stock in a July 17 note with a $350 per share price target, similarly to Nowak.

Persons: Ronald Josey, Josey, Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak, Nowak, of America's Justin Post, Post, — CNBC's Michael Bloom Organizations: Meta, Facebook, JPMorgan, FactSet, Citi, Microsoft, of America's

☆ Wall Street analysts say Amazon is still a buy, but investors should ‘stay patient’ on AWS
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Amazon is still a buy after its latest earnings results, even with some weakness in Amazon Web Services, according to Wall Street analysts. The online retail stock initially jumped Thursday night after Amazon reported better-than-expected revenue in its first quarter . Amazon shares were last down about 1% in the premarket. AMZN 1D mountain Amazon shares 1-day However, analysts stayed bullish long term on Amazon, citing continued upside in retail, but they urged investors to "stay patient" on AWS and look toward the long-term opportunity in cloud services. Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs' Eric Sheridan reiterated his buy rating on Amazon, and raised his 12-month price target to $165 from $145.

☆ Tech giants aren't just cutting thousands of jobs — they're making them extinct
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Matt Turner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

That has far-reaching implications for tech workers and those seeking to work in the industry. By some estimates, more than 250,000 tech workers have been laid off since the start of 2022. Site-reliability engineers manage the operations of Google's systems and keep them running, while software engineers work on developing Google's infrastructure and products. This trend has significant implications for tech workers and those hoping to work in the industry. As Insider's Ito has reported, tech workers and software engineers have often been thought of as impervious to the march of automation.

☆ Analysts see even more gains ahead for Meta Platforms after latest earnings report
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Brian Evans | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Analysts liked what they saw from Meta Platform 's latest earnings report. The company projects revenue between $29.5 billion and $32 billion, while analysts expected sales of $29.5 billion, per Refinitiv. Goldman's Eric Sheridan also hiked his price target to $300, noting Meta maintained its momentum from the fourth quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, Bank of America's Justin Post noted that Meta's revenue recovery can drive the next leg higher for the stock. He also hiked his price target on Meta shares to $305 from $270, implying upside of 45.6%.

☆ Meta shares pop 15% on guidance, sales increase
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Rohan Goswami | In Rohangoswamicnbc | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Mark Zuckerberg told the world in Oct. 2021 that he was rebranding Facebook to Meta as the company pushes toward the metaverse. Meta shares gained more than 15% in premarket trading Thursday, as analysts and investors digested positive guidance for the upcoming fiscal quarter and an unexpected sales increase for the first quarter of 2023. Meta reported first-quarter earnings per share of $2.20, beating the consensus estimate of $2.03, and revenue of $28.65 billion versus the $27.65 billion expected by analysts. As with other large-cap tech companies, analysts expect that artificial intelligence will be a positive point for Meta. Morgan Stanley holds an overweight rating for Meta and upped its price target from $250 to $300.

☆ A $6 trillion AI boom is just starting. Here are 5 ways for investors to capitalize on the tech revolution, according to Morgan Stanley.
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Zahra Tayeb | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

AI is at an "inflection point" that could allow investors and companies tap into a $6 trillion opportunity, Morgan Stanley said. "We see AI accelerating digital transformation and tech diffusion across the economy," analyst Brian Nowak said in a note. AI-driven search tools could power stronger recommendation engines for social media and e-commerce, create better content-production tools and improve shared-economy marketplaces for transportation and other services, the bank said in the note. "We see AI accelerating digital transformation and tech diffusion across the economy," Morgan Stanley Research's internet analyst Brian Nowak said in a research note. Travel"Though 76% of travel is already being booked online, digital travel platforms are well-positioned to capitalize further on their large and unique data sets.

☆ Artificial intelligence is a $38 billion revenue opportunity for retailers. Here's how to play the trend
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

Morgan Stanley estimates that in 2022, only 23% of the $4.3 trillion of U.S adjusted retail spending was online. Add in AI, which can drive better shopper experiences or better conversion, it could bump to 9% or possibly 10% CAGR, he said. Eventually, AI can help retailers pitch tailored products to each potential customer based on their prior history. You might see it in the member services experience in having a better opportunity to get customer support," he said. As retailers move ahead in their plans to integrate AI into their business, some will build the capabilities.

☆ These are analysts' favorite S&P 500 stocks as the second quarter kicks off
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Wall Street has some favorite stocks in mind as the second quarter kicks into full swing. The S & P 500 ended the shortened trading week — the first of the new quarter — down 0.1% . As investors position themselves in the early innings of the quarter, CNBC Pro found the most liked S & P 500 stocks on Wall Street. Around seven out of 10 analysts rate the stock a buy, with the average price target implying a nearly 34% upside. Hasbro shares are down nearly 15% in 2023.

☆ Morgan Stanley on who wins the most if TikTok is banned or blocked
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Companies that already have short-form video platforms in place should benefit the most from any TikTok ban, according to Morgan Stanley. TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew testified before Congress last week , when all three stocks highlighted by Morgan Stanley as potential beneficiaries closed the week higher. Nowak's $250 price target implies Meta could rally 24.6% from where it closed Tuesday. Still, the stock could see upside ahead as Nowak's price target implies shares could rally about 34% over the next year from where they ended Tuesday. His $7 target price implies Snap will drop about 37% over the next 12 months from Tuesday's close.

☆ Morgan Stanley believes this mega-cap tech stock has 50% upside
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Amazon 's latest job cuts should help the company's profitability, Morgan Stanley said. His price target of $150 implies an upside of 52.9% over where the big technology stock ended Friday's session. The profitability of Amazon Web Services could be specifically helped given that it was one business area Nowak said he believed was targeted in the latest round. The first round was mainly targeted at lower-salaried roles, Nowak said, meaning the latest cuts can lead to higher average savings per employee. The stock has gained 16.8% since the start of 2023, regaining ground after tumbling nearly 50% in 2022.

☆ Facebook-parent Meta can rally more than 25% thanks to Reels and efficiency plans, Morgan Stanley says
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Meta 's tightening its belt and has business improvements that may not be fully appreciated, Morgan Stanley said. Nowak also raised his price target by $60 to $250, implying an upside of 26.4% from Monday's close. All other Meta revenue should decline by 1% in 2023, but grow 5% in 2024. In addition to raising the price target, he also raised the 2024 expected EBITDA by 7%. The new price target implies a 9 times 2024 EBITDA multiple, which is a 20% historical discount.

☆ Here are Morgan Stanley's favorite quality stocks to buy as bear market nears end
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Michelle Fox | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

As investors start preparing for the end of the bear market, Morgan Stanley has identified a number of stocks it expects to outperform once the next bull market begins. He has an overweight rating on the stock and a $135 price target, which suggests about 33% upside from Monday's close. He has an overweight rating on Costco and a $520 price target, which implies a little more than 6% upside from Monday's close. Graseck has an overweight rating on JPM and a $173 price target, which implies 36% upside from Monday's close. His $155 price target suggests the stock could rally more than 20% from Monday's close.

☆ A.I. is at an inflection point, says Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailA.I. is at an inflection point, says Morgan Stanley's Brian NowakBrian Nowak of Morgan Stanley joins 'Squawk on the Street' to discuss his thoughts on the artificial intelligence space and the firm's call that there's a $6 trillion dollar addressable market in AI.

☆ Here's the bear case for artificial intelligence
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Now that ChatGPT unleashed a firestorm of interest in artificial intelligence investing, it may be time to urge some calm for investors. AI YTD mountain AI software provider C3.ai has seen its stock more than doubled as investors look to hop on the artificial intelligence trend. Here's the bear case for artificial intelligence. That's about seven times more than the cost to run a typical Google search, which Nowak estimated to be $0.003, or not even half of one cent. Separately, the lack of proper citation from generative AI could mean future lawsuits for AI companies.

☆ Heavyweight tech battle: How Microsoft and Alphabet stack up against each other in the A.I. war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +9 min

"It's a new day in search," Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Tuesday during an AI event held at the company's headquarters, saying that the "race starts today." So far, Microsoft is making significant headway within AI and rising in popularity in the tech world. Alphabet, he added, "got beaten to market by Microsoft" despite its investments in the space. Alphabet Microsoft may be taking the lead on AI in the near term, but investors shouldn't sleep on Alphabet just yet. "We believe GOOGL has the AI tech and scale to maintain/grow its leading user base," said Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak in a Thursday note.

☆ Watch CNBC's full interview with Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWatch CNBC's full interview with Morgan Stanley's Brian NowakBrian Nowak of Morgan Stanley joins 'TechCheck' to discuss Alphabet and what is next for Google's AI plan.

☆ Microsoft may have won the A.I. battle, but Alphabet could win the war, analysts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Microsoft won the first round in the battle to become the next big artificial intelligence leader, but analysts think Alphabet 's ability to overtake its competition in the long-run shouldn't be underestimated. "We think Google's big reveal is still to come, which we would expect in weeks and not months." On the heels of its multibillion dollar investment in ChatGPT-creator OpenAI, Microsoft on Tuesday announced new AI versions of its Bing search engine and Edge browser. "We believe GOOGL has the AI tech and scale to maintain/grow its leading user base," wrote Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak. He also expects Google's AI product visibility to improve over the next few months — and easily offset some higher AI search costs.

☆ There's a lot of incremental uncertainty over the high cost of A.I. tools, says Morgan Stanley's Brian Nowak
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

In this videoShare Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThere's a lot of incremental uncertainty over the high cost of A.I. tools, says Morgan Stanley's Brian NowakBrian Nowak of Morgan Stanley joins 'TechCheck' to discuss Alphabet and what is next for Google's AI plan.

☆ ChatGPT ignited a new A.I. craze. What it means for tech companies and who's best positioned to benefit
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

Since the launch of ChatGPT late last year, no one in the tech world can seem to stop talking about artificial intelligence. CEO Sundar Pichai announced Thursday that the company will launch its LaMDA language model and new AI features "very soon ." But it's not just technology companies rethinking AI. We combed through earnings transcripts available through FactSet to find out what some of the biggest tech companies are saying about the latest craze and who could benefit the most. Preparing for an 'AI arms race' in tech There's no question that Microsoft stands to gain from ChatGPT and the AI push on Wall Street.

☆ Analysts overlook Alphabet's disappointing quarter, cite confidence in AI push as ChatGPT threat grows
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Samantha Subin | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Analysts are willing to overlook Alphabet' s disappointing quarter in lieu of its artificial intelligence push and focus on costs. Shares of the search giant fell more than 4% after the company missed Wall Street's expectations for the fourth quarter. But, analysts lauded the company's focus on artificial intelligence as it faces mounting pressures from popularized Microsoft-backed chatbot ChatGPT . Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said the company plans to release its LaMDA language model with search components "very soon." GOOGL 1D mountain GOOGL falls after earnings Analysts also cited some confidence in the company's push to reengineer its cost structure and reduce inefficiencies.

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