Chips and Diagnostics Drive Analyst Action

Semiconductors and health tech dominated analyst desks on Friday, with several high-conviction calls cutting through a broader wave of utility target trims.

Morgan Stanley raised its price target on INTC to $84 from $75. The firm kept its Hold rating but the $9 bump signals growing belief in Intel's turnaround. The chipmaker carries a $466 billion market cap. Short interest sits at just 2.8% of free float — bears are not pressing the thesis.

Oppenheimer went further on NXPI, lifting its target to $325 from $300 with a Buy rating. NXP Semiconductors trades at roughly $68 billion in market cap. The move echoes a broader sector re-rating as auto chip demand recovers.

DXCM picked up a fresh analyst recommendation. DexCom's consensus average target now stands at $86.12. With a $27.6 billion cap and short interest at 4.9% of free float, the glucose-monitoring firm has become a battleground for bulls and bears alike.

Mizuho lifted its target on DGX to $260 from $235 with a Buy. Quest Diagnostics has rallied strongly in 2026 as lab volumes recover.

On the negative side, Citigroup cut its target on CCI to $98 from $106. Crown Castle faces ongoing pressure from its tower business restructuring. Utilities also saw a sweep of small consensus target cuts, including DTE, SO, and ETR.