UPDATE: Stifel Nicolaus Raises PT to $20 on Ixia on Acquisitions, Upgrade Cycle

Stifel Nicolaus reiterated its Buy rating on Ixia

and raised its price target from $18 to $21. Stifel Nicolaus commented, "Our positive thesis on the stock is based on the following: (1) The Anue and BreakingPoint acquisitions enhance XXIA's market position, improve its customer diversification and materially expand its addressable markets, and should continue to provide synergies; (2) XXIA's business is driven by technology upgrade cycles at its customers rather than the health of technology end market sales and with several material upgrade cycles gathering momentum (notably LTE, network visibility, and 40/100G), sales growth should sustain an accelerated pace on a relative basis even if economic conditions become challenging." Ixia closed at $17.53 on Friday.