Stocks Fluctuate Near All-Time Highs, S&P 500 Slightly Declines
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Dec 26 2025
0mins
Should l Buy NVDA?
The post-Christmas session saw stocks fluctuate near all-time highs and the indexes close little changed following a day of thin trading. While the S&P 500 saw a very small daily drop, it still closed with its best week in a month.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with this recap from The Fly.1. STOCK NEWS:Nvidialicensingand hiring top executives, including its CEO, in deal reported to be worth $20BTargetfacing pressure from activist investor Toms Capital,Biohavenannounced on Christmas Eve that its Phase 2 proof-of-concept study evaluating BHV-7000 for the treatment of major depressive disorderWALL STREET CALLS:Inhibikase Therapeuticswith a Buy at H.C. WainwrightCarter Bankshareswith a Buy at Freedom CapitalMDU Resourceswith a Hold at Freedom CapitalWalmartwith an Outperform at CICC3. AROUND THE WEB:Following the Trump administration's approval of a weapons sale to Taiwan, the Chinese government imposed sanctions on 20 U.S. defense companies and 10 of their executives, with targets including Northrop Grumman (NOC), Boeing'sdefense unit,A federal judge denied Masimo'srequest to block Apple Watchimports as part of its lawsuit over an earlier import ban related to patents covering blood-oxygen sensors,Hyattis developing collaborations with Chinese state-owned companies for joint-venture brands amid a slowdown in the region and an effort to expand outside Greater China to double properties in Asia,JPMorgan Chasein recent months has frozen accounts used by at least two fast-growing stablecoin startups, highlighting the risk that Cryptocurrency transactions pose for banks, which are required to know the people they do business with and the source of their cash,4. MOVERS:Coupanggained afterthe company identified the former employee responsible for the recent data leakNikerose after UBS said its recentfor the companyArcadia Biosciencesfell afterand resumption of its process of evaluating strategic alternativesMakers of wound-care products, including Organogenesis, declined after regional Medicare contractorsand tissue repair productsINDEXES:The Dow fell 0.04%, or 20.19, to 48,710.97, the Nasdaq slipped 0.09%, or 20.21, to 23,593.10, and the S&P 500 declined 0.03%, or 2.11, to 6,929.94.
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Analyst Views on NVDA
Wall Street analysts forecast NVDA stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for NVDA is 264.97 USD with a low forecast of 200.00 USD and a high forecast of 352.00 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.
41 Analyst Rating
39 Buy
1 Hold
1 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 171.880
Low
200.00
Averages
264.97
High
352.00
Current: 171.880
Low
200.00
Averages
264.97
High
352.00
About NVDA
NVIDIA Corporation is a full-stack computing infrastructure company. The Company is engaged in accelerated computing to help solve the challenging computational problems. The Company’s segments include Compute & Networking and Graphics. The Compute & Networking segment includes its Data Center accelerated computing platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) solutions and software; networking; automotive platforms and autonomous and electric vehicle solutions; Jetson for robotics and other embedded platforms, and DGX Cloud computing services. The Graphics segment includes GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems, and Omniverse Enterprise software for building and operating industrial AI and digital twin applications.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
Nvidia vs. Oracle: Compelling Investment Stories
- Nvidia's Market Performance: Nvidia's stock has surged over 700% in the past three years, pushing its market capitalization beyond $4 trillion, making it the largest company globally, which highlights its dominant position in high-performance AI applications and attracts significant investor interest.
- Oracle's Market Challenges: Oracle, with a market cap of $440 billion, has seen its stock drop over 52% since last September, primarily due to high spending on AI infrastructure and a debt exceeding $100 billion, raising concerns about its financial health among investors.
- Financial Performance Highlights: Oracle's recent Q2 FY2026 earnings report revealed a 14% year-over-year revenue increase to $16.05 billion, with net income soaring 95% to $6.13 billion, including a $2.7 billion pre-tax gain, showcasing its strong growth potential in the cloud computing sector.
- Future Growth Expectations: Despite facing debt pressures, Oracle's forward price-to-earnings ratio stands at just 19.8, indicating that its stock is at a two-year low, and analysts expect significant revenue growth in the future, potentially providing a good buying opportunity for investors.
See More
Nvidia Stock Valuation Low, Potential for Rebound
- Valuation Drop: Nvidia's stock currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 25, slightly above last spring's lows, yet the market's strong growth expectations could yield substantial returns for investors.
- Market Recovery: Despite a pullback in tech stocks since October, Nvidia's price is poised for significant growth in the coming years, particularly as the AI computing market continues to expand.
- Rising Capital Expenditure: AI hyperscalers have announced record capital expenditure plans for 2026, with global data center spending projected to reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion annually, positioning Nvidia as a key beneficiary.
- Strong Revenue Outlook: Analysts forecast a 52% revenue increase for Nvidia in fiscal 2027, indicating robust performance in the AI sector and sustained market demand, despite a slight slowdown in growth rate.
See More
Amazon's AI Spending Sparks Investor Concerns
- Spending Risks Emerge: Despite bullish sentiment on AI stocks, concerns about cloud companies over-investing have intensified, particularly after Amazon announced a $200 billion capital expenditure plan for 2026 to meet AI demand, leading to a pre-market stock decline.
- AWS Strong Growth: Amazon Web Services (AWS) reported an annual revenue run rate of $142 billion in the recent quarter, with a 24% revenue growth rate, marking the strongest growth in 13 quarters and highlighting the business potential driven by AI.
- Diverse Revenue Streams: CEO Andy Jassy noted that customers are seeking AWS for both AI and non-AI projects, suggesting that even if AI demand slows, Amazon can still achieve growth through its non-AI initiatives, alleviating investor concerns.
- Rapid Return on Investment: Jassy emphasized that as new capacity is added, Amazon is able to monetize it quickly, indicating that the company is not solely reliant on AI demand, which boosts investor confidence in its upcoming spending plans.
See More
Micron Technology Emerges as Wall Street's New AI Chip Favorite
- Massive Market Potential: According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the total addressable market for AI accelerators is expected to grow at a 16% CAGR, reaching $604 billion by 2033, providing strong market support for Micron Technology.
- Surging Memory Demand: Micron dominates in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and NAND chips, with forecasts indicating the memory market could grow to $100 billion by 2028, highlighting the accelerating demand for memory chips.
- Capital Expenditure Driving Price Increases: With big tech expected to spend over $500 billion on AI infrastructure, shortages in HBM solutions are anticipated, with TrendForce research suggesting DRAM and NAND prices could soar by 60% and 38%, respectively, in Q1 alone.
- Attractive Valuation: Micron currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12, significantly lower than other leaders in the AI chip market, and combined with the multi-year supercycle for HBM chips, this indicates strong investment potential for Micron stock.
See More
Micron Technology: The New Favorite AI Chip Stock
- Massive Market Potential: According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the total addressable market for AI accelerators is expected to grow at a 16% CAGR through 2033, reaching $604 billion, providing strong market support for Micron Technology.
- Surging Memory Demand: Micron's management forecasts the memory market will grow from $35 billion in 2025 to $100 billion by 2028, indicating that demand for memory chips is accelerating at a pace far exceeding that of the GPU market.
- Rising Prices Driven by Capex: With hyperscalers' capital expenditure budgets increasing, big tech is expected to spend over $500 billion on AI infrastructure this year, leading to shortages in HBM solutions, with DRAM and NAND prices potentially soaring by 60% and 38% respectively in Q1.
- Attractive Valuation: Micron currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12, significantly lower than other leaders in the AI chip market, and combined with the multi-year supercycle for HBM chips, this suggests strong investment value, positioning Micron as a potential
See More
Dow Surpasses 50,000 for the First Time
- Dow Index Milestone: The Dow Jones Industrial Average has surpassed 50,000 for the first time, marking a significant recovery in the U.S. stock market, reflecting increased investor confidence in economic recovery, which may lead to more capital inflows into equities.
- Buying Opportunities: Stocks like JPMorgan, Apple, and Boeing have entered buy zones, indicating that the performance of these large companies has attracted investor interest, potentially driving their stock prices higher and enhancing market vitality.
- Nasdaq Divergence: While the Nasdaq remains below key support levels, some AI-related stocks are reviving, indicating a potential rebound in tech stocks that may provide new investment opportunities for investors.
- Market Sentiment Improvement: The overall market sentiment is improving, as optimistic expectations for future economic growth may encourage more capital to flow into the stock market, thereby driving further increases in the overall market.
See More
Nvidia vs. Oracle: Compelling Investment Stories
- Nvidia's Market Performance: Nvidia's stock has surged over 700% in the past three years, pushing its market capitalization beyond $4 trillion, making it the largest company globally, which highlights its dominant position in high-performance AI applications and attracts significant investor interest.
- Oracle's Market Challenges: Oracle, with a market cap of $440 billion, has seen its stock drop over 52% since last September, primarily due to high spending on AI infrastructure and a debt exceeding $100 billion, raising concerns about its financial health among investors.
- Financial Performance Highlights: Oracle's recent Q2 FY2026 earnings report revealed a 14% year-over-year revenue increase to $16.05 billion, with net income soaring 95% to $6.13 billion, including a $2.7 billion pre-tax gain, showcasing its strong growth potential in the cloud computing sector.
- Future Growth Expectations: Despite facing debt pressures, Oracle's forward price-to-earnings ratio stands at just 19.8, indicating that its stock is at a two-year low, and analysts expect significant revenue growth in the future, potentially providing a good buying opportunity for investors.
See More
Nvidia Stock Valuation Low, Potential for Rebound
- Valuation Drop: Nvidia's stock currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 25, slightly above last spring's lows, yet the market's strong growth expectations could yield substantial returns for investors.
- Market Recovery: Despite a pullback in tech stocks since October, Nvidia's price is poised for significant growth in the coming years, particularly as the AI computing market continues to expand.
- Rising Capital Expenditure: AI hyperscalers have announced record capital expenditure plans for 2026, with global data center spending projected to reach $3 trillion to $4 trillion annually, positioning Nvidia as a key beneficiary.
- Strong Revenue Outlook: Analysts forecast a 52% revenue increase for Nvidia in fiscal 2027, indicating robust performance in the AI sector and sustained market demand, despite a slight slowdown in growth rate.
See More
Amazon's AI Spending Sparks Investor Concerns
- Spending Risks Emerge: Despite bullish sentiment on AI stocks, concerns about cloud companies over-investing have intensified, particularly after Amazon announced a $200 billion capital expenditure plan for 2026 to meet AI demand, leading to a pre-market stock decline.
- AWS Strong Growth: Amazon Web Services (AWS) reported an annual revenue run rate of $142 billion in the recent quarter, with a 24% revenue growth rate, marking the strongest growth in 13 quarters and highlighting the business potential driven by AI.
- Diverse Revenue Streams: CEO Andy Jassy noted that customers are seeking AWS for both AI and non-AI projects, suggesting that even if AI demand slows, Amazon can still achieve growth through its non-AI initiatives, alleviating investor concerns.
- Rapid Return on Investment: Jassy emphasized that as new capacity is added, Amazon is able to monetize it quickly, indicating that the company is not solely reliant on AI demand, which boosts investor confidence in its upcoming spending plans.
See More
Micron Technology Emerges as Wall Street's New AI Chip Favorite
- Massive Market Potential: According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the total addressable market for AI accelerators is expected to grow at a 16% CAGR, reaching $604 billion by 2033, providing strong market support for Micron Technology.
- Surging Memory Demand: Micron dominates in high-bandwidth memory (HBM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), and NAND chips, with forecasts indicating the memory market could grow to $100 billion by 2028, highlighting the accelerating demand for memory chips.
- Capital Expenditure Driving Price Increases: With big tech expected to spend over $500 billion on AI infrastructure, shortages in HBM solutions are anticipated, with TrendForce research suggesting DRAM and NAND prices could soar by 60% and 38%, respectively, in Q1 alone.
- Attractive Valuation: Micron currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12, significantly lower than other leaders in the AI chip market, and combined with the multi-year supercycle for HBM chips, this indicates strong investment potential for Micron stock.
See More
Micron Technology: The New Favorite AI Chip Stock
- Massive Market Potential: According to Bloomberg Intelligence, the total addressable market for AI accelerators is expected to grow at a 16% CAGR through 2033, reaching $604 billion, providing strong market support for Micron Technology.
- Surging Memory Demand: Micron's management forecasts the memory market will grow from $35 billion in 2025 to $100 billion by 2028, indicating that demand for memory chips is accelerating at a pace far exceeding that of the GPU market.
- Rising Prices Driven by Capex: With hyperscalers' capital expenditure budgets increasing, big tech is expected to spend over $500 billion on AI infrastructure this year, leading to shortages in HBM solutions, with DRAM and NAND prices potentially soaring by 60% and 38% respectively in Q1.
- Attractive Valuation: Micron currently trades at a forward P/E ratio of 12, significantly lower than other leaders in the AI chip market, and combined with the multi-year supercycle for HBM chips, this suggests strong investment value, positioning Micron as a potential
See More
Dow Surpasses 50,000 for the First Time
- Dow Index Milestone: The Dow Jones Industrial Average has surpassed 50,000 for the first time, marking a significant recovery in the U.S. stock market, reflecting increased investor confidence in economic recovery, which may lead to more capital inflows into equities.
- Buying Opportunities: Stocks like JPMorgan, Apple, and Boeing have entered buy zones, indicating that the performance of these large companies has attracted investor interest, potentially driving their stock prices higher and enhancing market vitality.
- Nasdaq Divergence: While the Nasdaq remains below key support levels, some AI-related stocks are reviving, indicating a potential rebound in tech stocks that may provide new investment opportunities for investors.
- Market Sentiment Improvement: The overall market sentiment is improving, as optimistic expectations for future economic growth may encourage more capital to flow into the stock market, thereby driving further increases in the overall market.
See More
