Micron raised its fiscal second-quarter outlook
Semiconductor specialist Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) is surging this morning, last seen up 8.4% to trade at $88.89. This positive price action comes after the firm posted fiscal first-quarter profits of $2.16 per share, and $7.69 billion in revenue, exceeding analysts' estimates. The chip maker's shares were also bolstered by an upbeat current-quarter outlook, with the company noting a strong demand for memory and storage, while speculating that the chip shortage should moderate through 2022.
Analysts were eager to chime in, with no less than 10 bull notes rolling in following the event. Credit Suisse was the most optimistic, raising its price target to $130 from $110, while BofA Global Research raised its price target to $100 from $76, and upgraded the stock to "buy" from "neutral." Sentiment has been generally optimistic, though there's still room for additional price-target raises. Coming into today, seven of the 21 in coverage still called Micron stock a tepid "hold" or worse, while the 12-month consensus price target of $106.52 is a 21.7% premium to current levels.
Options traders are in a frenzy as well. So far, 95,000 calls and 35,000 puts have crossed the tape, which is seven times the intraday average. Most popular by far is the weekly 12/23 90-strike call, where new positions are being bought to open, indicating these traders see even more upside for Micron stock by the time the contract expires on Thursday.
A bullish shift in the options pits could put more wind at MU's back. This is according to the stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.08, which sits in the elevated 79th percentile of its 12-month range. This means short-term options traders have rarely been more put-biased.
Today's pop has put MU back above a recent ceiling at the $87 level, while the equity looks ready to reclaim its 20-day moving average as well. Micron stock is trading at its highest level since April, and now sports a year-to-date lead of 18.8%.