Analysts Rush to Raise AMD Price Targets After Earnings

AMD reported first-quarter profit and revenue beats

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) stock is higher this morning, after the chipmaker reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of 6 cents per share on $1.27 billion in revenue -- beating analysts estimates on strength in data center and server sales. Fresh off back-to-back monthly wins, AMD stock is up 2.7% to trade at $28.37.

Bullish analysts have been quick to chime in after AMD earnings, with no fewer than six boosting their price targets. The loftiest targets came from Cowen and Northland Capital, which both boosted theirs to $36 -- a 30% premium to last night's close. Overall, analysts are mixed when it comes to the equity, with 10 maintaining a "buy" or better rating, compared to nine "holds" or worse, and the average 12-month price target perched at $28.09.

Put traders were busy in the weeks leading up to last night's results, with the weekly 5/3 25-strike put seeing the largest increase in open interest over the past 10 sessions., and data from the major options exchanges confirms both buy- and sell-to-open activity over this two-week time frame. Those purchasing the calls expect AMD stock to slump below the strike by expiration at the close this Friday, May 3, while those writing the options see $25 emerging as a short-term floor.

Looking closer at the charts, the equity's late-March retreat was cushioned near this $25 level, and a strong bounce from here sent AMD to a six-month high of $29.95 on April 3. A short-lived pullback from here was quickly contained by the security's 30-day moving average, with Advanced Micro Devices now up 50% year-to-date.