Following fiscal Q2 results that exceeded Wall Street expectations, NetApp (NTAP, Financial) observed close to a 7% boost in stock value during premarket trading Friday.
Morgan Stanley (MS, Financial) confirmed its equal-weight rating but increased the price target to $132 from $127. With the update and new client wins driving market share increases, NetApp's flash portfolio, which includes its AFF A-Series and ASA systems, showered stronger-than-expected performance. Notwithstanding this, Morgan Stanley said that meaningful fiscal 2025 outperformance depends on the broader macroeconomic environment still posing challenges.
Evercore kept an in-line rating but increased its price target from $130 to $140. Company analysts underlined NetApp's strong performance in an unpredictable macroenvironment as well as its capacity to grab market share. Reiterating its underperform rating, Bank of America changed its price target to $121 from $115.
Particularly strong in its U.S. public sector business and cloud gross margins, NetApp stated, helped greatly contribute to YOY increases. Although pricing modifications are being processed, analysts have pointed out that these changes can take time to show effects. Investors seek further clarity on the long-term expansion of the business among macroeconomic uncertainty.
