Friday’s Biggest Analyst Calls: NVIDIA, Microsoft, Alphabet, Apple, Snap, Intel, Western Digital and More

Here are the most significant analyst calls on Wall Street for Friday:

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Bank of America maintains its buy rating on Alphabet.Bank of America reaffirms its buy rating on Alphabet following its earnings release on Thursday. The firm highlights the quarter's strong performance across all major business lines, emphasizing Google's position as a beneficiary of AI. Despite potential disruption risks in the search sector, Bank of America remains optimistic about Google's infrastructure, data, and distribution advantages.

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Deutsche Bank maintains its buy rating on Snap.Deutsche Bank stands by its buy rating on Snap after the company's earnings announcement on Thursday. The firm notes Snap's beat and positive forward outlook, which reinforces its belief that the ad platform rebuild is yielding positive results.

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Goldman Sachs reiterates its buy rating on Microsoft.Goldman Sachs reiterates its buy rating on Microsoft, citing the company's margin stability showcased in its recent earnings report. The firm believes Microsoft offers a unique growth profile at its scale, with the potential for double-digit growth in both revenue and earnings per share in fiscal year 2025.

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Goldman Sachs maintains its sell rating on Intel.Goldman Sachs maintains its sell rating on Intel following its earnings release on Thursday. The firm expresses concerns about Intel's AI prioritization, which continues to impact traditional server demand negatively.

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Seaport initiates coverage of Hims & Hers with a buy rating.Seaport initiates coverage of Hims & Hers with a buy rating and a price target of $23. The firm is bullish on the telehealth company due to its large total addressable market across various verticals and its leading online health brand.

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Maxim reiterates its hold rating on Apple.Maxim reaffirms its hold rating on Apple ahead of its earnings release on May 2. The firm focuses on key factors such as iPhone sales, China revenues, and supply chain dependence in China.

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Barclays upgrades Enphase Energy to overweight.Barclays upgrades Enphase Energy to overweight, citing an attractive entry point for the solar company's shares. The firm believes that current levels provide a reasonable entry point as demand is set to increase following a period of destocking.

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Benchmark upgrades Western Digital to buy.Benchmark upgrades Western Digital to buy following the company's significant upside earnings report. The firm highlights higher flash prices and nearline drive sales as key drivers of the positive results.

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Bank of America upgrades Sonic Automotive to buy.Bank of America upgrades Sonic Automotive to buy after the company's first-quarter earnings results. The firm believes that the key factors behind its previous underperform rating are now showing positive trends.

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Bank of America downgrades Hertz to underperform.Bank of America downgrades Hertz to underperform due to several negative catalysts impacting the car rental company. Liquidity concerns and challenges related to fleet refreshment contribute to the downgrade.

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Bank of America maintains its buy rating on Nvidia.Bank of America reiterates its buy rating on Nvidia, considering it a top idea at the firm. The firm remains bullish on vendors serving the cloud infrastructure market, including Nvidia.

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Stifel downgrades Caterpillar to hold.Stifel downgrades Caterpillar to hold following its earnings release on Thursday. While impressed with the company's improvements, the firm lowers its rating due to market conditions and the recent decline in shares.

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Raymond James upgrades Kratos to strong buy.Raymond James upgrades Kratos to strong buy, citing accelerating demand for the defense company's products. The firm believes that Kratos is well-positioned to benefit from recent developments.

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Stifel downgrades Knight-Swift Transportation to hold.Stifel downgrades Knight-Swift Transportation to hold after its first-quarter earnings report. The firm notes the company's adjusted earnings per share, which met pre-release guidance but were impacted by softness in the freight market.

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Morgan Stanley downgrades Mobileye to underweight.Morgan Stanley downgrades Mobileye to underweight due to the impact of the electric vehicle slowdown on the autonomous vehicle parts company. The firm sees limitations to the total addressable market amidst aggressive competition.

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Morgan Stanley upgrades EPAM Systems to equal weight.Morgan Stanley upgrades EPAM Systems to equal weight, citing a more reasonable valuation for the software company's shares. The firm maintains a cautious view on the broader IT services industry.

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Loop upgrades Compass Minerals to buy.Loop upgrades Compass Minerals to buy, citing a reasonably attractive valuation for the mining company's shares. The firm anticipates business trends, EBITDA, and investor sentiment to normalize over time.

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Piper Sandler upgrades Citizens Financial to overweight.Piper Sandler upgrades Citizens Financial to overweight, highlighting the regional bank's attractive valuation and growth prospects. The firm sees potential for solid earnings supported by a strong capital base.

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Wells Fargo upgrades Visteon to equal weight.Wells Fargo upgrades Visteon to equal weight, primarily based on valuation considerations for the auto electronics supplier's shares. The firm believes that current price levels are reasonable.

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JPMorgan upgrades Dow to overweight.JPMorgan upgrades Dow to overweight, expecting the chemical company to outperform. The firm highlights Dow's exposure to higher oil prices, durable dividend yield, and potential for growth amidst global economic activity.

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Bank of America downgrades Teledyne to neutral.Bank of America downgrades Teledyne to neutral due to limited upside potential at present. The firm cites concerns about the company's position in the value chain and delays in its progress.

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HSBC upgrades Snap to buy.HSBC upgrades Snap to buy, anticipating an ad market recovery for the social media company. The firm believes that improved platform performance will drive gains for Snap.

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