Oracle (ORCL) stock surged 5.01% in Friday's intraday trading session, building on the previous day's 13% gain, as investors continued to react positively to the company's strong quarterly results and optimistic outlook for AI-driven cloud growth.
On Wednesday after market close, Oracle reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street expectations. The enterprise software giant posted revenue of $15.9 billion, up 11% year-over-year and above analyst estimates of $15.57 billion. Earnings per share came in at $1.19, also surpassing forecasts of $1.16.
However, it was Oracle's forward-looking statements that truly energized investors. CEO Safra Catz projected "dramatically higher" revenue growth rates for the fiscal year ahead, particularly in the company's cloud infrastructure segment. Oracle expects its total cloud growth rate to accelerate from 24% in fiscal 2025 to over 40% in fiscal 2026, with cloud infrastructure growth potentially exceeding 70%. This optimistic outlook is largely driven by surging demand for AI-related cloud services.
The market's enthusiasm was further fueled by a wave of analyst upgrades and raised price targets. BMO Capital upgraded Oracle to Outperform from Market Perform, increasing its price target to $235 from $200. Mizuho raised its target to $245 from $180, while Barclays lifted its target to $221 from $202. Analysts cited Oracle's strong execution, accelerating business momentum, and potential to capitalize on the AI boom as key factors behind their bullish stance.
As Oracle continues to invest heavily in its cloud infrastructure and AI capabilities, investors appear increasingly confident in the company's ability to compete effectively in the rapidly evolving tech landscape. The stock's significant two-day rally reflects growing optimism that Oracle is well-positioned to benefit from the surging demand for AI and cloud computing services in the years ahead.
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