Chips Rally, Utilities Slide in Analyst Calls

Wall Street turned bullish on semiconductors this week. Oppenheimer raised its target on NXPI to $325 from $300, citing improving auto chip demand. Morgan Stanley lifted INTC to $84 from $75, a 12% bump — notable for a stock with a $466B market cap that has struggled for years.

Utilities took the opposite treatment. Analysts trimmed targets across the sector. DUK, SO, XEL, ETR, and PEG all saw consensus target prices nudged down. The moves were small but broad — a sector-wide reset, likely tied to interest rate expectations weighing on dividend plays.

Two contrarian calls stand out. Citigroup cut its target on CCI sharply — from $106 to $98 — while keeping a Buy. That's a rare bearish-target/bullish-rating split that signals concern about near-term headwinds for the cell tower REIT.

HAS bucked the toys-sector gloom. Consensus target prices ticked up to $108.92 from $108.15. Short interest sits near 6% of free float — shorts may face pressure if Hasbro's turnaround gains traction.

JP Morgan trimmed LUV to $59 from $60. Southwest carries 6.3% SI % FF. The airline is under activist pressure and the small cut suggests patience is running thin on Wall Street too.

DXCM attracted a new recommendation this week — a fresh Buy initiation adds to the 25-strong bull camp on the diabetes monitor maker.