Akamai Techs Stock (NASDAQ:AKAM), Trade Ideas

Akamai Techs

Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,100 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. The firm also offers security and cloud computing for its customers, and those businesses have grown to be bigger than the legacy CDN.

Akamai Technologies

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Akamai Technologies Inc

Citigroup analyst Fatima Boolani maintains Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) with a Neutral and lowers the price target from $140 to $117.

Citigroup Maintains Neutral on Akamai Techs, Lowers Price Target to $117

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$850.00</td>
<td>$32.8K</td>
<td>10.8K</td>
<td>50.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MRVL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$72.50</td>
<td>$185.7K</td>
<td>13.3K</td>
<td>10.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$165.00</td>
<td>$113.5K</td>
<td>7.7K</td>
<td>6.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BSY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
<td>3.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$990.00</td>
<td>$144.8K</td>
<td>642</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/26/24</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$49.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$275.00</td>
<td>$46.5K</td>
<td>821</td>
<td>459</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$39.7K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
<td>437</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SNOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$55.4K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
<td>235</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$1250.00</td>
<td>$240.0K</td>
<td>465</td>
<td>209</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 45 contract(s) at a $850.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.8K, with a price of $730.0 per contract. There were 10827 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 50621 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MRVL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 92 day(s) on July 19, 2024. Parties traded 509 contract(s) at a $72.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $185.7K, with a price of $365.0 per contract. There were 13399 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 10774 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on April 26, 2024. Parties traded 700 contract(s) at a $165.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 31 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $113.5K, with a price of $163.0 per contract. There were 7711 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6283 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BSY (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BSY#NASDAQ">BSY</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 29 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 60 contract(s) at a $50.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.4K, with a price of $440.0 per contract. There were 4040 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3536 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 1 day(s) on April 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 181 contract(s) at a $990.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $144.8K, with a price of $800.0 per contract. There were 642 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1206 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 8 day(s) on April 26, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $135.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.0K, with a price of $490.0 per contract. There were 1247 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1122 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CRM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $275.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.5K, with a price of $465.0 per contract. There were 821 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 459 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AKAM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 274 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 29 contract(s) at a $100.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.7K, with a price of $1370.0 per contract. There were 3139 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 437 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SNOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 274 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 46 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $55.4K, with a price of $1205.0 per contract. There were 3438 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 235 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a put option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $1250.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $240.0K, with a price of $4800.0 per contract. There were 465 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 209 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

MRVL

MSTR

SMCI

SNOW

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$850.00</td>
<td>$30.6K</td>
<td>18.4K</td>
<td>34.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
<td>$35.0K</td>
<td>4.7K</td>
<td>25.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DOMO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$7.00</td>
<td>$70.3K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
<td>4.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$960.00</td>
<td>$85.6K</td>
<td>632</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$988.5K</td>
<td>536</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WOLF</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/20/24</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$392.0K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$30.3K</td>
<td>110</td>
<td>930</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WDC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$71.00</td>
<td>$27.6K</td>
<td>636</td>
<td>834</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$1150.00</td>
<td>$37.5K</td>
<td>383</td>
<td>498</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$22.50</td>
<td>$31.4K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
<td>440</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 25 contract(s) at a $850.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.6K, with a price of $1225.0 per contract. There were 18446 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 34863 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 2 day(s) on April 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 256 contract(s) at a $160.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 23 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.0K, with a price of $137.0 per contract. There were 4784 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 25620 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DOMO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOMO#NASDAQ">DOMO</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 121 day(s) on August 16, 2024. Parties traded 1759 contract(s) at a $7.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 88 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $70.3K, with a price of $40.0 per contract. There were 2191 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4646 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $960.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $85.6K, with a price of $2856.0 per contract. There were 632 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2391 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 247 day(s) on December 20, 2024. Parties traded 1500 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $988.5K, with a price of $659.0 per contract. There were 536 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1513 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For WOLF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WOLF#NYSE">WOLF</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 156 day(s) on September 20, 2024. This event was a transfer of 800 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $392.0K, with a price of $490.0 per contract. There were 1794 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1035 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AKAM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 212 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 46 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.3K, with a price of $660.0 per contract. There were 110 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 930 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WDC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>), we observe a put option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $71.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.6K, with a price of $138.0 per contract. There were 636 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 834 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $1150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.5K, with a price of $3750.0 per contract. There were 383 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 498 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PD (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PD#NYSE">PD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 30 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 331 contract(s) at a $22.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 25 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.4K, with a price of $95.0 per contract. There were 1984 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 440 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

DOMO

WOLF

10 Information Technology Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

<a href="https://twitter.com/CitronResearch/status/1779873794338799911">https://twitter.com/CitronResearch/status/1779873794338799911</a>
&nbsp;
<img alt="Image" src="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GLNhNv3XsAAhfvH?format=jpg&amp;name=small" />

EGIO

Citron Research Posts On X "So $MSFT Switched From $AKAM To $EGIO Claiming That $EGIO Has Better Tools, Pricing, And Support. And Why Is This Stock Not $60 Today?? This Is Taken From Copilot"

&nbsp;<a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4139716-1&amp;h=868900830&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.akamai.com%2F&amp;a=Akamai+Technologies" target="_blank">Akamai Technologies</a>, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), the cloud company that powers and protects life online, added a new media-optimized offering based on NVIDIA GPUs to its growing cloud portfolio. With the&nbsp;<a href="https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&amp;l=en&amp;o=4139716-1&amp;h=2259938426&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nvidia.com%2Fen-us%2Fdesign-visualization%2Frtx-4000%2F&amp;a=NVIDIA+RTX+4000+Ada+Generation+GPU" target="_blank">NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation GPU</a>, the new cloud-based service provides better productivity and economics for companies in the media and entertainment industry that are challenged with processing video content faster and more efficiently.

Akamai Rolls Out Cloud Infrastructure and Services Powered by NVIDIA, Optimized for Video Processing

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bearish move on Akamai Techs. Our analysis of options history for Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) revealed 25 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 24% of traders were bullish, while 76% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 13 were puts, with a value of $422,675, and 12 were calls, valued at $1,699,324.
<h3>Projected Price Targets</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $95.0 to $125.0 for Akamai Techs over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Akamai Techs's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Akamai Techs's significant trades, within a strike price range of $95.0 to $125.0, over the past month.
<h3>Akamai Techs 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1712687471_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$7.1</td>
<td>$6.7</td>
<td>$6.7</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$938.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">134</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$8.7</td>
<td>$8.6</td>
<td>$8.6</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$276.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">207</td>
<td>440</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$18.0</td>
<td>$17.9</td>
<td>$17.9</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$93.0K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td>276</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$17.8</td>
<td>$17.7</td>
<td>$17.7</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$88.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">5</td>
<td>78</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$8.2</td>
<td>$7.9</td>
<td>$8.2</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$44.2K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">234</td>
<td>62</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Akamai Techs</h3>
Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,100 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. The firm also offers security and cloud computing for its customers, and those businesses have grown to be bigger than the legacy CDN.
In light of the recent options history for Akamai Techs, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Akamai Techs's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 574,707, the AKAM's price is down by 0.0%, now at $105.82. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 28 days.</li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Akamai Techs with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Market Whales and Their Recent Bets on AKAM Options

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/05/24</td>
<td>$895.00</td>
<td>$32.0K</td>
<td>4.6K</td>
<td>18.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$38.00</td>
<td>$380.0K</td>
<td>61</td>
<td>4.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WDC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/05/24</td>
<td>$73.00</td>
<td>$41.2K</td>
<td>290</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VERI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$7.50</td>
<td>$33.3K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/05/24</td>
<td>$1080.00</td>
<td>$41.4K</td>
<td>714</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/05/24</td>
<td>$1700.00</td>
<td>$356.5K</td>
<td>833</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$28.3K</td>
<td>69</td>
<td>659</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$27.2K</td>
<td>15.0K</td>
<td>542</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ASML</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$1000.00</td>
<td>$30.4K</td>
<td>719</td>
<td>416</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PANW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/19/24</td>
<td>$272.50</td>
<td>$59.0K</td>
<td>229</td>
<td>315</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 5, 2024. Parties traded 40 contract(s) at a $895.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.0K, with a price of $800.0 per contract. There were 4699 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 18480 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SMTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMTC#NASDAQ">SMTC</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 15 day(s) on April 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 4000 contract(s) at a $38.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $380.0K, with a price of $95.0 per contract. There were 61 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4069 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WDC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 5, 2024. Parties traded 634 contract(s) at a $73.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.2K, with a price of $65.0 per contract. There were 290 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3991 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding VERI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VERI#NASDAQ">VERI</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 15 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 390 contract(s) at a $7.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.3K, with a price of $85.0 per contract. There were 2207 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2808 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 5, 2024. Parties traded 270 contract(s) at a $1080.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 22 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.4K, with a price of $150.0 per contract. There were 714 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2128 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 5, 2024. Parties traded 112 contract(s) at a $1700.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $356.5K, with a price of $3180.0 per contract. There were 833 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1710 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AKAM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 43 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 407 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 33 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.3K, with a price of $70.0 per contract. There were 69 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 659 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 288 day(s) on January 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $30.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.2K, with a price of $545.0 per contract. There were 15010 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 542 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ASML (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 15 day(s) on April 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 9 contract(s) at a $1000.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.4K, with a price of $3384.0 per contract. There were 719 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 416 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PANW (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 15 day(s) on April 19, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $272.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $59.0K, with a price of $590.0 per contract. There were 229 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 315 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ASML

PANW

SMTC

VERI

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with AKAM, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 23 uncommon options trades for Akamai Techs.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 52% bullish and 47%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 6 are puts, for a total amount of $178,110, and 17 are calls, for a total amount of $765,780.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $100.0 to $105.0 for Akamai Techs during the past quarter. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Akamai Techs's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Akamai Techs's whale trades within a strike price range from $100.0 to $105.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Akamai Techs Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1710772254_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$73.3K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">208</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$50.4K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">439</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$50.1K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">467</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$48.0K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">36</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$46.5K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">413</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Akamai Techs</h3>
Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,100 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. The firm also offers security and cloud computing for its customers, and those businesses have grown to be bigger than the legacy CDN.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Akamai Techs, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Where Is Akamai Techs Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 138,221, the AKAM's price is up by 0.23%, now at $107.5. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 50 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Akamai Techs</h3>
In the last month, 2 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $137.5.
<ul>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Tigress Financial keeps a Strong Buy rating on Akamai Techs with a target price of $140. </li>
<li>An analyst from Baird upgraded its action to Outperform with a price target of $135. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Akamai Techs options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in Akamai Techs

Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth maintains Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) with a Strong Buy and raises the price target from $132 to $140.

Tigress Financial Maintains Strong Buy on Akamai Techs, Raises Price Target to $140

Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) underwent analysis by 8 analysts in the last quarter, revealing a spectrum of viewpoints from bullish to bearish.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">4</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts' evaluations of 12-month price targets offer additional insights, showcasing an average target of $122.38, with a high estimate of $150.00 and a low estimate of $81.00. Observing a 5.05% increase, the current average has risen from the previous average price target of $116.50. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1709820048_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Diving into Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Exploration</h2>
A comprehensive examination of how financial experts perceive Akamai Techs is derived from recent analyst actions. The following is a detailed summary of key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>William Power</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Outperform</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$128.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Bersey</td>
<td>HSBC</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Reduce</td>
<td>$96.00</td>
<td>$109.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>William Power</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$128.00</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mark Murphy</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Underweight</td>
<td>$81.00</td>
<td>$78.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Fish</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$136.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rishi Jaluria</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Sector Perform</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brandon Nispel</td>
<td>Keybanc</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$138.00</td>
<td>$134.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Samuels</td>
<td>Susquehanna</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Positive</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: Analysts adapt their recommendations to changing market conditions and company performance. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their response to recent developments related to Akamai Techs. This information provides a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Gaining insights, analysts provide qualitative assessments, ranging from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings reflect expectations for the relative performance of Akamai Techs compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts navigate through adjustments in price targets, providing estimates for Akamai Techs's future value. Comparing current and prior targets offers insights into analysts' evolving expectations.</li>
</ul>
To gain a panoramic view of Akamai Techs's market performance, explore these analyst evaluations alongside essential financial indicators. Stay informed and make judicious decisions using our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AKAM/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Akamai Techs analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>Get to Know Akamai Techs Better</h2>
Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,100 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. The firm also offers security and cloud computing for its customers, and those businesses have grown to be bigger than the legacy CDN.
<h3>Key Indicators: Akamai Techs's Financial Health</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: With a profound presence, the company's market capitalization is above industry averages. This reflects substantial size and strong market recognition.
Positive Revenue Trend: Examining Akamai Techs's financials over 3 months reveals a positive narrative. The company achieved a noteworthy revenue growth rate of 7.25% as of 31 December, 2023, showcasing a substantial increase in top-line earnings. When compared to others in the Information Technology sector, the company faces challenges, achieving a growth rate lower than the average among peers.
Net Margin: Akamai Techs's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional net margin, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable net margin of 16.2%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Akamai Techs's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional ROE, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable ROE of 3.61%, the company showcases efficient use of equity capital and strong financial health.
Return on Assets (ROA): Akamai Techs's ROA surpasses industry standards, highlighting the company's exceptional financial performance. With an impressive 1.65% ROA, the company effectively utilizes its assets for optimal returns.
Debt Management: With a below-average debt-to-equity ratio of 0.99, Akamai Techs adopts a prudent financial strategy, indicating a balanced approach to debt management.
<h2>What Are Analyst Ratings?</h2>
Ratings come from analysts, or specialists within banking and financial systems that report for specific stocks or defined sectors (typically once per quarter for each stock). Analysts usually derive their information from company conference calls and meetings, financial statements, and conversations with important insiders to reach their decisions.
Beyond their standard evaluations, some analysts contribute predictions for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, furnishing investors with additional guidance. Users of analyst ratings should be mindful that this specialized advice is shaped by human perspectives and may be subject to variability.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Demystifying Akamai Techs: Insights From 8 Analyst Reviews

Contracts

Akamai Technologies Announced A Partnership With Scaleflex, The First Visual Experience Platform To Join The Akamai Qualified Computing Partner Program

Baird analyst William Power upgrades Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) from Neutral to Outperform and raises the price target from $128 to $135.

Upgrades

Baird Upgrades Akamai Techs to Outperform, Raises Price Target to $135

Bridgewater Associates, founded by billionaire Ray Dalio, made notable adjustments to its portfolio in the fourth quarter of 2023. The hedge fund revealed significant new bets, exits and increased stakes, providing valuable insights into <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/ray-dalio">its investment strategy</a>.
Over the past few years, 74-year-old Dalio gradually scaled back his formal role at the firm. He resigned as CEO in 2017 and stepped down as co-CIO last October. He does remain involved in a more informal capacity as a CIO mentor, offering advice and meeting with investors.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Portfolio Changes</h2>
Bridgewater initiated new positions in prominent companies, including Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), Crown Castle Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCI#NYSE">CCI</a>), Coterra Energy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTRA#NYSE">CTRA</a>), Wells Fargo &amp; Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WFC#NYSE">WFC</a>), and Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>).
In the fourth quarter, the hedge fund also closed out holdings in Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMO#NYSE">TMO</a>), Microchip Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHP#NASDAQ">MCHP</a>), Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), and Constellation Energy Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CEG#NASDAQ">CEG</a>).
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tech Sector Expansion: Nvidia Stake Up 458%</h2>
A highlight of Bridgewater&#8217;s fourth-quarter moves was its remarkable 458% <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/amazon-alphabet-and-nvidia-attract-new-interest-from-wall-streets-biggest-investors-172800952.html#:~:text=Bridgewater%20Associates%2C%20the%20world's%20biggest,a%20small%20stake%20in%20Apple.">stake</a> increase in chipmaker Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), reflecting the hedge fund&#8217;s confidence in the company&#8217;s future. This move, bringing Bridgewater&#8217;s total Nvidia holdings to 268,489 shares, aligned with Nvidia&#8217;s outstanding performance, surpassing Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) in market capitalization.
In addition to the substantial Nvidia stake increase, Bridgewater expanded its tech portfolio by adding 500,000 new shares in Alphabet, increasing its Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) holdings and making a smaller investment in Apple. The hedge fund also maintained its position in Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/hedge-funds/23/11/35816921/ray-dalios-bridgewater-bets-big-on-retail-with-stakes-in-coca-cola-costco-and-walmart-among-t">Ray Dalio&#8217;s Bridgewater Bets Big On Retail With Stakes In Coca-Cola, Costco, And Walmart Among Top Holdings</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Diversification Extends To Pharma</h2>
Bridgewater&#8217;s strategic diversification extended to the pharmaceutical sector, evidenced by a new investment in Eli Lilly And Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>). The fund added 255,619 shares, demonstrating a nuanced approach to capitalize on health care trends, particularly in weight-loss drugs.
Bridgewater Associates&#8217; 13F changes reveal a strategic and confident investment approach, marked by sector diversification and bold bets on key players. The hedge fund&#8217;s moves provide valuable insights into its outlook and investment priorities, offering a compelling narrative for market observers and investors alike.
Now Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/01/36660843/inda-outperforming-brics-peers-ray-dalio-says-india-is-at-a-very-special-moment-at-davos">INDA Outperforming BRICS Peers, Ray Dalio Says &#8216;India Is At A Very Special Moment&#8217; At Davos</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Ray Dalio's Bridgewater Makes Waves: Q4 Unveils Strategic Shifts With New Investments, Sector Expansion In Tech

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/">analyst ratings page</a>.
<ul>
<li>Piper Sandler raised the price target for HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hubs#NYSE">HUBS</a>) from $630 to $675. Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin maintained an Overweight rating. HubSpot shares rose 4.3% to close at $629.64 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/HUBS/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Needham boosted Entegris, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/entg#NASDAQ">ENTG</a>) price target from $120 to $150. Needham analyst Charles Shi maintained a Buy rating. Entegris shares gained 5.7% to close at $131.17 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ENTG/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Telsey Advisory Group boosted the price target for The Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hd#NYSE">HD</a>) from $325 to $335. Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman maintained a Market Perform rating. Home Depot shares rose 0.2% to close at $358.23 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/HD/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Goldman Sachs raised Ingredion Incorporated (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ingr#NYSE">INGR</a>) price target from $122 to $135. Goldman Sachs analyst Adam Samuelson upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy. Ingredion shares gained 2.2% to close at $110.79 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/INGR/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>UBS increased the price target for Medpace Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/medp#NASDAQ">MEDP</a>) from $282 to $452. UBS analyst John Sourbeer upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy. Medpace shares gained 7.1% to close at $389.80 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MEDP/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Evercore ISI Group cut the price target for Owens Corning (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/oc#NYSE">OC</a>) from $163 to $154. Evercore ISI Group analyst Stephen Kim downgraded the stock from Outperform to In-Line. Owens Corning shares fell 2.7% to close at $143.03 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/OC/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Morgan Stanley increased United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/x#NYSE">X</a>) price target from $40 to $51. Morgan Stanley analyst Carlos De Alba downgraded the stock from Overweight to Equal-Weight. United States Steel shares rose 0.1% to close at $45.64 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/X/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock</a>.</li>
<li>Redburn Atlantic cut Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cmcsa#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>) price target from $50 to $44. Redburn Atlantic analyst Hamilton Faber downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral. Comcast shares rose 0.4% to close at $42.02 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/CMCSA/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>Keybanc boosted Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/uber#NYSE">UBER</a>) price target from $79 to $90. Keybanc analyst Justin Patterson maintained an Overweight rating. Uber shares gained 14.7% to close at $79.15 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/UBER/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
<li>HSBC cut Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/akam#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) price target from $109 to $96. HSBC analyst Stephen Bersey downgraded the stock from Hold to Reduce. Akamai shares fell 8.2% to close at $114.80 on Wednesday. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AKAM/analyst-ratings">See how other analysts view this stock.</a></li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/02/37149816/cisco-deere-and-3-stocks-to-watch-heading-into-thursday"> Cisco, Deere And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Thursday </a>

In the latest quarter, 7 analysts provided ratings for Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives.
The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th></th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bullish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Indifferent</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Somewhat Bearish</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Bearish</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Total Ratings</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">3</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Last 30D</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>1M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>2M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3M Ago</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $120.57, a high estimate of $150.00, and a low estimate of $81.00. This current average reflects an increase of 5.58% from the previous average price target of $114.20. 
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1708002012_0.png" alt="price target chart" />
<h2>Diving into Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Exploration</h2>
The analysis of recent analyst actions sheds light on the perception of Akamai Techs by financial experts. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets.
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Analyst</th>
<th>Analyst Firm</th>
<th>Action Taken</th>
<th>Rating</th>
<th>Current Price Target</th>
<th>Prior Price Target</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stephen Bersey</td>
<td>HSBC</td>
<td>Lowers</td>
<td>Reduce</td>
<td>$96.00</td>
<td>$109.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>William Power</td>
<td>Baird</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Neutral</td>
<td>$128.00</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mark Murphy</td>
<td>JP Morgan</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Underweight</td>
<td>$81.00</td>
<td>$78.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>James Fish</td>
<td>Piper Sandler</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$136.00</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Rishi Jaluria</td>
<td>RBC Capital</td>
<td>Maintains</td>
<td>Sector Perform</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Brandon Nispel</td>
<td>Keybanc</td>
<td>Raises</td>
<td>Overweight</td>
<td>$138.00</td>
<td>$134.00</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aaron Samuels</td>
<td>Susquehanna</td>
<td>Announces</td>
<td>Positive</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Key Insights:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Action Taken: In response to dynamic market conditions and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their reaction to recent developments related to Akamai Techs. This insight gives a snapshot of analysts' perspectives on the current state of the company.</li>
<li>Rating: Delving into assessments, analysts assign qualitative values, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings communicate expectations for the relative performance of Akamai Techs compared to the broader market.</li>
<li>Price Targets: Analysts gauge the dynamics of price targets, providing estimates for the future value of Akamai Techs's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time.</li>
</ul>
Capture valuable insights into Akamai Techs's market standing by understanding these analyst evaluations alongside pertinent financial indicators. Stay informed and make strategic decisions with our Ratings Table.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AKAM/analyst-ratings?utm_source=Benzinga Insights">Stay up to date on Akamai Techs analyst ratings.</a>
<h2>About Akamai Techs</h2>
Akamai operates a content delivery network, or CDN, which entails locating servers at the edges of networks so its customers, which store content on Akamai servers, can reach their own customers faster, more securely, and with better quality. Akamai has over 325,000 servers distributed over 4,100 points of presence in more than 1,000 cities worldwide. The firm also offers security and cloud computing for its customers, and those businesses have grown to be bigger than the legacy CDN.
<h3>Understanding the Numbers: Akamai Techs's Finances</h3>
Market Capitalization Analysis: With an elevated market capitalization, the company stands out above industry averages, showcasing substantial size and market acknowledgment.
Revenue Growth: Akamai Techs displayed positive results in 3 months. As of 31 December, 2023, the company achieved a solid revenue growth rate of approximately 3.06%. This indicates a notable increase in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the revenue growth lags behind its industry peers. The company achieved a growth rate lower than the average among peers in Information Technology sector.
Net Margin: Akamai Techs's financial strength is reflected in its exceptional net margin, which exceeds industry averages. With a remarkable net margin of 16.2%, the company showcases strong profitability and effective cost management.
Return on Equity (ROE): Akamai Techs's ROE stands out, surpassing industry averages. With an impressive ROE of 3.61%, the company demonstrates effective use of equity capital and strong financial performance.
Return on Assets (ROA): Akamai Techs's ROA excels beyond industry benchmarks, reaching 1.65%. This signifies efficient management of assets and strong financial health.
Debt Management: Akamai Techs's debt-to-equity ratio is below the industry average at 0.99, reflecting a lower dependency on debt financing and a more conservative financial approach.
<h2>The Significance of Analyst Ratings Explained</h2>
Benzinga tracks 150 analyst firms and reports on their stock expectations. Analysts typically arrive at their conclusions by predicting how much money a company will make in the future, usually the upcoming five years, and how risky or predictable that company's revenue streams are.
Analysts attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish their ratings on stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter or whenever the company has a major update.
Some analysts publish their predictions for metrics such as growth estimates, earnings, and revenue to provide additional guidance with their ratings. When using analyst ratings, it is important to keep in mind that stock and sector analysts are also human and are only offering their opinions to investors.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Demystifying Akamai Techs: Insights From 7 Analyst Reviews

HSBC analyst Stephen Bersey downgrades Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) from Hold to Reduce and lowers the price target from $109 to $96.

Downgrades

HSBC Downgrades Akamai Techs to Reduce, Lowers Price Target to $96

The U.S. stock market attempted a rebound following Tuesday&#8217;s declines, which were sparked by a higher-than-expected inflation report in January, as investors <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">refocused on corporate earnings.</a>
More than two-thirds of S&amp;P 500 companies reported thus far, with 75% of them exceeding earnings-per-share expectations and 65% reporting positive revenue, according to Factset data.
Wednesday&#8217;s recovery impacted nine out of eleven S&amp;P 500 sectors, with energy and consumer staples lagging behind. 
The S&amp;P 500 was up 0.4% as of noon trading in New York, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 surged by 0.5%.
Small-cap stocks, represented by the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>), rallied by 1.7% after experiencing a 4% drop on Tuesday.
Treasury yields were lower across all maturities amid dovish Fed remarks. The 10-year yield dropped 7 basis points to 4.25% after Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee stated that even if inflation comes in a bit higher over next few months, it would still be consistent with the path back to the 2% target. 
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) continued to dominate headlines, as the largest cryptocurrency surpassed a $1 trillion market value, with its price climbing above $51,000.
In the commodities market, U.S. natural gas prices declined for the eighth consecutive day amid milder weather forecasts and elevated stocks, reaching lows last observed in July 2020.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday's Performance In Major Indices, ETFs</h2>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Major Indices &amp; ETFs</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>1-Day %</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>1,995.83</td>
<td>1.7%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>17,681.96</td>
<td>0.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>4,971.29</td>
<td>0.4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>38,273.13</td>
<td>0.0%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was 0.4% higher to $495.55, the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) held steady at $382.73 and the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.5% to $430.34, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>. 
The Industrials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLI#NYSE">XLI</a>), outperformed, up 1.1%, while the Consumer Staples&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLP#NYSE">XLP</a>) was the laggard, down 0.6%. 
Industry-wise, solar stocks, as tracked by the Invesco Solar ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TAN#NYSE">TAN</a>), rallied by 3.5%, after dropping nearly 6% on Tuesday. 
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h2>
<ul>
<li>Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) surged 11% on stronger-than-expected results last quarter, claiming the top performance for the day among S&amp;P 500 stocks. </li>
<li>Akamai Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) fell 9% as revenue missed the Street&#8217;s forecasts. The company was Wednesday&#8217;s worst performer within the S&amp;P 500. </li>
<li>Other companies reacting to earnings were MGM Resorts International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MGM#NYSE">MGM</a>), down 8%, IQVIA Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IQV#NYSE">IQV</a>), up 10.5%, Charler River Laboratories International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRL#NYSE">CRL</a>), up 9.2%, The Kraft Heinz Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KHC#NYSE">KHC</a>), down 5.9%, Welltower Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WELL#NYSE">WELL</a>), up 7%, Airbnb Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NYSE">ABNB</a>), down 2.7%, Lyft Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LYFT#NASDAQ">LYFT</a>), up 33%, QuidelOrtho Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QDEL#NASDAQ">QDEL</a>), down 30%. </li>
<li>Crypto-related stocks such as Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), Marathon Digital Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) and Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) rallied, 13%, 10% and 9% respectively. </li>
</ul>
Read now: &#8216;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/02/37128741/its-not-that-decentralized-sec-chair-gary-gensler-hesitant-on-bitcoin-calls-it-just-an-acc">It&#8217;s Not That Decentralized&#8217;: SEC Chair Gary Gensler Hesitant On Bitcoin, Calls It &#8216;Just An Accounting Ledger&#8217;</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Stocks Rebound As Investor Focus Shifts To Earnings, Bitcoin Tops $1 Trillion Value: What's Driving Markets Wednesday?

Shares of Sony Group Corporation (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sony#NYSE">SONY</a>) fell during Wednesday&rsquo;s session after the company reported third-quarter financial results and revised guidance above estimates and shared plans to list its financial arm in October 2025.
Sony Group reported third-quarter FY23 sales growth of 22% year-on-year to $25.34 billion (&yen;3.75 trillion), beating the consensus of $24.62 billion. Adjusted EPS of $1.99 beat the consensus of $1.65.
Sony revised its FY23 sales outlook to $86.62 billion (&yen;12.4 trillion), down from a prior forecast of &yen;12.3 trillion versus the consensus of $87.32 billion.
Sony Group shares fell 6.3% to $89.86 on Wednesday.
Here are some other stocks moving in today&#39;s mid-day session.
<h3>Gainers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Datasea Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dtss#NASDAQ">DTSS</a>) shares jumped 1,173% to $18.59. On Tuesday, Datasea posted a narrower second-quarter loss.</li>
<li>Earlyworks Co., Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/elws#NASDAQ">ELWS</a>) surged 416% to $2.35 on two passive stakes.</li>
<li>enGene Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/engn#NASDAQ">ENGN</a>) jumped 95.5% to $14.90. The company&rsquo;s CEO Jason Hanson is resigning due to personal family and health reasons, though he will continue to support the company as a strategic advisor after a successor is appointed. Concurrently, enGene announced a private placement of 20 million common shares at $10.00 per share, representing a 31% premium over the previous day&rsquo;s closing price.</li>
<li>Cineverse Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cnvs#NASDAQ">CNVS</a>) surged 92.9% to $2.9899. Cineverse announced forthcoming launch of AI-powered movie search platform cineSearch.</li>
<li>Cheche Group Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ccg#NASDAQ">CCG</a>) gained 74.3% to $5.49.</li>
<li>MGO Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mgol#NASDAQ">MGOL</a>) rose 66% to $0.6647.</li>
<li>Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cogt#NASDAQ">COGT</a>) surged 62.7% to $8.89.</li>
<li>Inspira Technologies Oxy B.H.N. Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/iinn#NASDAQ">IINN</a>) gained 35% to $1.29 after the company announced it received the first ever U.S. Patent approval for an orbiting blood oxygenation delivery system, a core technology of the INSPIRA ART500 device.</li>
<li>Lyft, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lyft#NASDAQ">LYFT</a>) shares gained 34.3% to $16.29 after the company reported fourth-quarter sales of $1.22 billion and gross bookings of $3.7 billion, up 17% year-over-year. The company&rsquo;s CFO, Erin Brewer, said the adjusted EBITDA margin is projected to expand 50 basis points in 2024.</li>
<li>Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hcsg#NASDAQ">HCSG</a>) gained 25.7% to $11.90 following upbeat earnings.</li>
<li>Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/blnk#NASDAQ">BLNK</a>) gained 24.2% to $3.3288. Blink Charging announced preliminary fourth-quarter revenue excess of $42 million.</li>
<li>Larimar Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lrmr#NASDAQ">LRMR</a>) rose 23.9% to $10.83. Larimar Therapeutics has priced the public offering of 17.16 million shares at $8.74 per share for gross proceeds of approximately $150 million.</li>
<li>Clene Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/clnn#NASDAQ">CLNN</a>) gained 22.9% to $0.52.</li>
<li>Angi Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/angi#NASDAQ">ANGI</a>) gained 22.2% to $2.97 following upbeat earnings.</li>
<li>Iris Energy Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/iren#NASDAQ">IREN</a>) shares rose 20.5% to $8.35.</li>
<li>CEVA, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ceva#NASDAQ">CEVA</a>) gained 18.5% to $23.92 following upbeat earnings.</li>
<li>Great Lakes Dredge &amp; Dock Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gldd#NASDAQ">GLDD</a>) gained 17.1% to $9.47 following quarterly results.</li>
<li>Resideo Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/rezi#NYSE">REZI</a>) rose 16.7% to $19.94 after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>Kratos Defense &amp; Security Solutions, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ktos#NASDAQ">KTOS</a>) jumped 15.7% to $20.59 following better-than-expected quarterly results.</li>
<li>Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hood#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) shares gained 14.7% to $13.58 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>United Fire Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ufcs#NASDAQ">UFCS</a>) rose 13.5% to $24.32 following upbeat results.</li>
<li>Allison Transmission Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/alsn#NASDAQ">ALSN</a>) gained 13% to $69.53 after the company reported better-than-expected quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>MRC Global Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mrc#NYSE">MRC</a>) rose 12.1% to $11.64 following upbeat earnings.</li>
<li>Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/coin#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) gained 11.5% to $156.50 amid strength in Bitcoin.</li>
<li>CCSC Technology International Holdings Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cctg#NASDAQ">CCTG</a>) shares rose 10.2% to $3.56 after dipping around 10% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Tower Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsem#NASDAQ">TSEM</a>) gained 8.5% to $31.07 following strong results.</li>
<li>Sentage Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sntg#NASDAQ">SNTG</a>) shares jumped 8.4% to $2.46.</li>
<li>Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/crl#NYSE">CRL</a>) gained 7.2% to $236.00 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and issued guidance above estimates.</li>
<li>VBI Vaccines Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/vbiv#NASDAQ">VBIV</a>) shares surged 5.2% to $0.6941. Brii Biosciences agreed to acquire VBI&#39;s IP rights in BRII-179 (VBI-2601) and plans to initiate technology transfer to expand clinical and commercial supplies.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Losers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Azitra, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aztr#NYSE">AZTR</a>) shares fell 69.5% to $0.2653. Azitra priced its $5 million public offering of 16.667 million common shares at $0.30 per share.</li>
<li>Ohmyhome Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/omh#NASDAQ">OMH</a>) fell 40.7% to $1.3397 after the company priced its upsized $4.8 million public offering of 3,555,555 ordinary shares at $1.35 per share.</li>
<li>QuidelOrtho Corporation (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qdel#NASDAQ">QDEL</a>) fell 34.9% to $43.49 after the company reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued FY24 adjusted EPS below estimates.</li>
<li>BioNexus Gene Lab Corp. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bglc#NASDAQ">BGLC</a>) shares fell 34.4% to $1.03 after jumping 282% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Sunworks, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sunw#NASDAQ">SUNW</a>) fell 34.3% to $0.0662.</li>
<li>Enviva Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/eva#NYSE">EVA</a>) fell 33.2% to $0.2977. Enviva is preparing to file for bankruptcy within days, the Wall Street Journal reported.</li>
<li>EpicQuest Education Group International Limited (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/eeiq#NASDAQ">EEIQ</a>) fell 27.5% to $1.16.</li>
<li>Nukkleus Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nukk#NASDAQ">NUKK</a>) shares declined 21.6% to $1.5338 after surging over 55% on Tuesday. Goldman Sachs reported a 7.2% passive stake in Nukkleus as of Dec. 29, 2023.</li>
<li>Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/upst#NASDAQ">UPST</a>) fell 20.5% to $26.19 after the company issued first-quarter revenue guidance below estimates.</li>
<li>Esports Entertainment Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/gmbl#NASDAQ">GMBL</a>) shares fell 20% to $1.48. Esports Entertainment Group announced voluntary delisting from the Nasdaq and transfer to the OTCQB Venture Market.</li>
<li>Qurate Retail, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qrteb#NASDAQ">QRTEB</a>) declined 18.4% to $4.69.</li>
<li>CAE Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cae#NYSE">CAE</a>) fell 12.2% to $18.36 after the company reported worse-than-expected quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>The Chemours Company (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cc#NYSE">CC</a>) dipped 10.5% to $27.29.</li>
<li>Vroom, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/vrm#NASDAQ">VRM</a>) fell 10.5% to $13.71.</li>
<li>Maplebear Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/cart#NASDAQ">CART</a>) fell 7.8% to $25.67 following quarterly results.</li>
<li>MGM Resorts International (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mgm#NYSE">MGM</a>) shares declined 7.4% to $42.29 after the company reported fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/akam#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) fell 7.3% to $115.89 after the company reported mixed quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>The Kraft Heinz Company (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/khc#NASDAQ">KHC</a>) declined 5.5% to $34.13 after the company reported mixed quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/abnb#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>) shares declined 5% to $143.25 after the company reported fourth-quarter financial results.</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Now Read This: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/02/37126344/bitcoin-surpasses-51-000-stacks-emerges-as-top-gainer"> Bitcoin Surpasses $51,000; Stacks Emerges As Top Gainer</a>

Penny Stocks

Movers

ALSN

ANGI

AZTR

BGLC

BLNK

CART

CCTG

CEVA

CLNN

CNVS

COGT

DTSS

EEIQ

ELWS

ENGN

GLDD

GMBL

HCSG

HOOD

Inspira Technologies Oxy BHN Ltd Ordinary Shares

IINN

IREN

KTOS

Larimar Therapeutics, Inc. - Common Stock

LRMR

MGOL

NUKK

QRTEB

REZI

SNTG

Sony Group Corporation American Depositary Shares

SONY

SUNW

TSEM

UFCS

UPST

VBIV

Why Sony Shares Are Trading Lower By Around 6%? Here Are Other Stocks Moving In Wednesday's Mid-Day Session

RBC Capital analyst Rishi Jaluria reiterates Akamai Techs (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) with a Sector Perform and maintains $115 price target.

Reiteration

RBC Capital Reiterates Sector Perform on Akamai Techs, Maintains $115 Price Target

WIIM

Akamai Technologies shares are trading lower after the company reported mixed Q4 financial results.

Akamai: Strong Performing Security And Compute Verticals

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
<a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/technology/cybersecurity/">Cybersecurity stocks</a> are in the spotlight as the sector booms, driven by increased digital reliance and heightened cyber threats. This growth is amplified as companies integrate technologies like cloud computing, AI, the Internet of Things (IoT), and big data analytics into their operations, leading to new cybersecurity challenges.



Cybercrime has been identified as a leading threat to the global economy over the next decade. With potential <a href="https://www.usaid.gov/digital-development/cybersecurity/economic-growth-briefer#:~:text=cybersecurity%2520as%2520the%2520single%2520greatest,top%2520%25248%2520trillion%2520in%25202023.">cybercrime costs surpassing $8 trillion</a> in 2023, the need for effective cybersecurity strategies is more pressing than ever. Research suggests the cybersecurity market is likely <a href="https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/cyber-security-market">to grow from $182.8 billion in 2024</a> to $314.3 billion by 2029, with an 11.4% &nbsp;compound annual growth rate (CAGR). As a result, Wall Street offers significant investment opportunities in cybersecurity companies leading the development of crucial security measures.&nbsp;With that information, let&rsquo;s explore three cybersecurity stocks for your watchlist.



<h2>Akamai Technologies (AKAM)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/akam-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="building facade with akamai (AKAM) logo on it. representing tech stocks"><div>Source: Ken Wolter / Shutterstock.com</div></div>The first name among our cybersecurity stocks is Akamai Technologies (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/akam-stock-quote/">AKAM</a>), an established player in cloud-based security solutions. The company&rsquo;s Intelligent Edge Platform sits between businesses and the internet, acting as a powerful shield against cyber threats. As internet usage, data consumption, and reliance on cloud services soar, AKAM stock is poised to benefit.



Akamai&rsquo;s management announced solid fourth quarter and full year results for 2023 in mid-February, <a href="https://www.ir.akamai.com/news-releases/news-release-details/akamai-reports-fourth-quarter-2023-and-full-year-2023-financial">delivering revenues of $995 million</a>, up 7% year over year (YOY). Also, net income per diluted share saw significant growth, coming in at $1.69, up 23% YOY. 



Recently, <a href="https://www.ir.akamai.com/news-releases/news-release-details/akamai-and-neural-magic-partner-accelerate-deep-learning-ai">Akamai teamed up with Neural Magic</a>, a developer of software that accelerates AI workloads. The partnership will boost its AI security, enhancing deep learning on its network. This highlights Akamai&rsquo;s commitment to cybersecurity innovation, offering an efficient platform for deep learning on CPU servers.



Yet, Akamai stock has lost over 10% year to date (YTD). Meanwhile, the shares are changing hands at about 15 times forward earnings and 4.5 times sales. Wall Street&rsquo;s 12-month price forecast stands at $127.18, suggesting an upside potential of 19% from the current price levels. True, AKAM stock may remain volatile in the short run. But long-term potential for growth and value creation makes it Akamai an attractive cybersecurity stock.



<h2>iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF (IHAK)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/etf-blocks-1600-300x169.jpg" alt='the word "etf" spelled out in many yellow cubes against a background of many black cubes'><div>Source: shutterstock.com/Imagentle</div></div>Next on our list of cybersecurity stocks is the iShares Cybersecurity and Tech ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ihak-stock-quote/">IHAK</a>). Targeting long-term growth, this ETF invests in global companies at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation.



Currently, IHAK has 35 holdings, where the top ten constitute about 45% of its portfolio. With net assets around $841 million, its investments are mainly allocated to the information technology (86.2%) and industrials (13.3%) sectors. Geographically, 72.6% of its investments are in U.S. companies, followed by Israel (9.63%), Japan (4.18%), and Taiwan (3.1%).



Leading holdings include Okta (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/okta-stock-quote/">OKTA</a>), CrowdStrike (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/crwd-stock-quote/">CRWD</a>), Cyberark Software (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/cybr-stock-quote/">CYBR</a>), Juniper Networks (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/jnpr-stock-quote/">JNPR</a>) and Fortinet (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ftnt-stock-quote/">FTNT</a>).



So far this year, IHAK is up around 1.5%. Its trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) and price-to-book (P/B) ratios are 37.10x and 5.52x, respectively. Finally, investors should note that the ETF has an expense ratio of 0.47%.



<h2>Zscaler (ZS)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/zs-stock-300x169.jpg" alt="Zscaler (ZS) logo on a corporate building"><div>Source: Sundry Photography / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Today&rsquo;s last pick, Zscaler (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/zs-stock-quote/">ZS</a>), is another prominent cloud security company. The company primarily sells subscriptions to its Falcon platform and cloud modules. It offers cloud-delivered protection of endpoints, cloud workloads, identity and data. 



Recent earnings indicate revenues grew 35% YOY to $525 million. Additionally, free cash flow was $100.8 million, indicating financial stability and the potential for future investments in R&amp;D and acquisitions.



In March, Zscaler acquired Avalor, a security startup focused on protecting against attacks that target data. The acquisition extends the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange data with Avalor&rsquo;s Data Fabric for Security, which uses AI to identify and protect sensitive data. This strategic move by Zscaler underscores management&rsquo;s commitment to innovation.



However, ZS has lost over 17% YTD. Shares are trading at 63 times forward earnings and 14 times sales. Despite the relatively rich valuation, the <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/markets/stocks/ZS">12-month median price forecast</a> for Zscaler stock stands at $263.72 with an potential of over 40%.&nbsp;In other words, analysts remain optimistic about Zscaler&rsquo;s potential for growth.



On the date of publication, Tezcan Gecgil did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.&nbsp;The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>
<div>Tezcan Gecgil, PhD, began contributing to InvestorPlace in 2018. She brings over 20 years of experience in the U.S. and U.K. and has also completed all 3 levels of the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) examination. Publicly, she has contributed to <a href="https://www.investing.com/">investing.com</a> and the U.K. website of <a href="https://www.fool.com/">The Motley Fool.</a></div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/04/investing-in-digital-defense-3-cybersecurity-stocks-leading-the-charge/">Investing in Digital Defense: 3 Cybersecurity Stocks Leading the Charge</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Investing in Digital Defense: 3 Cybersecurity Stocks Leading the Charge

New additions to Goldman's High Operating Leverage list

The software industry has shown resilience, consistent growth, innovation, and adaptability to changing market demands and emerging technologies. Given the industry's solid growth prospects, fundamentally strong software stocks Workday (WDAY), Akamai Technologies (AKAM), and Smartsheet (SMAR) could be ideal additions to your portfolio. Read on... The software industry is growing due to digitization trends and increased demand for advanced solutions, which are driven by the desire for innovative products and services. Given the industry's promising growth prospects, investors could consider buying fundamentally strong software stocks Workday, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/WDAY/">WDAY</a>), Akamai Technologies, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/AKAM/">AKAM</a>), and Smartsheet Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/SMAR/">SMAR</a>).
The software industry will benefit from growing AI usage, a shift to cloud-based solutions, and cybersecurity measures, resulting in intelligent systems and ongoing technical advancements. The U.S. software market is expected to reach $353.50 billion in 2024 and grow at a <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/software/united-states">4.1% CAGR</a> to reach revenue of $414.70 billion by 2028.
The application development software industry is expanding due to rising demand for customized apps and smartphone use. Low-code platforms, DevOps integration, cloud-native development, and user experience are among the trends driving innovation. The worldwide application development software market will increase at a <a href="https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/software/application-development-software/worldwide">CAGR of 6.9%</a>, reaching $234.70 billion in 2028.
The business software market is changing dramatically thanks to digitalization, cloud-based solutions, multichannel integration, resource management, and data analysis for revenue growth. The business software market is estimated to reach $1.10 trillion by 2029, growing at a <a href="https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/global-business-software-market">CAGR of 11.2%</a>.
In addition, the growing popularity of public cloud-based services is driving the demand for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). The global Software as a Service (SaaS) market is estimated to reach $1.23 trillion by 2032, growing at a <a href="https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/software-as-a-service-saas-market-102222">CAGR of 18.4%</a>. Moreover, investors' interest in software stocks is evident from the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF's (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/IGV/">IGV</a>) 41.3% returns over the past year.
With these encouraging market trends in mind, let's delve into the fundamentals of the three software stocks.
Workday, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/WDAY/">WDAY</a>)
WDAY offers enterprise cloud applications facilitating planning, execution, analysis, and integration across diverse environments. Additionally, it delivers spend management solutions to streamline supplier selection, contract management, indirect spend oversight, and sourcing event execution for enhanced business operations and efficiency.
On February 26, 2024, WDAY announced the acquisition of HiredScore, a leading AI-driven talent orchestration solutions provider. It will allow WDAY to broaden its products while improving talent acquisition and internal mobility capabilities. The integrated solution might establish WDAY as a leader in addressing changing labor needs, resulting in increased customer satisfaction and market growth.
WDAY's trailing-12-month net income margin of 19.02% is 610.7% higher than the industry average of 2.68%. Its 27.64% trailing-12-month <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/l/levered-free-cash-flow.asp">levered FCF</a> margin is 200.7% higher than the 9.19% industry average. Additionally, its 75.60% trailing-12-month gross profit margin is 55.7% higher than the 48.57% industry average.
For the fiscal fourth quarter that ended January 31, 2024, WDAY's revenue increased 16.8% year-over-year to $1.92 billion. Its non-GAAP operating income grew 51.1% from the year-ago value to $461 million.
Moreover, the company's non-GAAP net income and net income per share rose 64.5% and 58.6% from the prior year's period to $421 million and $1.57, respectively.
Analysts expect WDAY's revenue and EPS for the quarter ending April 30, 2024, to increase 17.2% and 20.7% year-over-year to $1.97 billion and $1.58, respectively.  Also, the company surpassed the consensus revenue and EPS estimates in each of the four trailing quarters. Shares of WDAY have gained 37% over the past year to close the last trading session at $268.47.
WDAY's <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a> reflect this promising outlook. It has an overall rating of B, equating to a Buy in our proprietary rating system. The POWR Ratings assess stocks by 118 different factors, each with its own weighting.
WDAY has an A grade for Growth and a B for Sentiment and Quality. Within the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-application/">Software - Application</a> industry, it is ranked #15 out of 132 stocks. To see the additional ratings of WDAY for Value, Momentum, and Stability, <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/WDAY/">click here</a>.
Akamai Technologies, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/AKAM/">AKAM</a>)
AKAM provides cloud services for securing, delivering, and computing content, applications, and software over the internet worldwide. It offers cloud solutions to keep infrastructure, websites, applications, application programming interfaces, and users safe from various cyberattacks and online threats. It also provides web and mobile performance solutions.
AKAM's trailing-12-month EBIT margin of 18.56% is 286.3% higher than the 4.80% industry average. Its trailing-12-month CAPEX / Sales of 15.19% is 550.6% higher than the 2.33% industry average. Additionally, its 14.37% trailing-12-month net income margin is 436.7% higher than the 2.68% industry average.
AKAM's revenue for the fourth quarter that ended December 31, 2023, increased 7.2% year-over-year to $995.02 million. The company's non-GAAP income from operations grew 17.5% from the year-ago value to $302.67 million.
Its non-GAAP net income of $262.63 million, or $1.69 per share, up 21.3% and 23.4% from the previous year's quarter, respectively. Furthermore, the company's adjusted EBITDA increased 11.6% year-over-year to $425.99 million.
For the quarter that ended March 31, 2024, AKAM's EPS and revenue are expected to increase 14.9% and 8% year-over-year to $1.61 and $988.90 million, respectively. It surpassed the Street EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Over the past year, the stock has gained 30.2% to close the last trading session at $105.09.
AKAM's strong fundamentals are reflected in its POWR Ratings. It has an overall rating of B, which equates to a Buy in our proprietary rating system.
It is ranked #13 out of 44 stocks in the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-business/">Software - Business</a> industry. To see additional AKAM's ratings for Growth, Value, Momentum, Stability, Sentiment, and Quality, <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/AKAM/">click here</a>.
Smartsheet Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/SMAR/">SMAR</a>)
SMAR provides an enterprise platform to plan, capture, manage, automate, and report on work for teams and organizations. It serves aerospace, automotive, biotechnology, consumer, e-commerce, education, finance, government, healthcare, IT services, marketing, media, non-profit, publishing, software, technology, and travel sectors.
SMAR's trailing-12-month levered FCF margin of 28.30% is 207.9% higher than the industry average of 9.19%. Its 80.54% trailing-12-month gross profit margin is 65.8% higher than the 48.57% industry average. Additionally, its 0.78x trailing-12-month asset turnover ratio is 26.9% higher than the 0.62x industry average.
During the fiscal fourth quarter that ended January 31, 2024, SMAR's total revenue and gross profit increased 21% and 25.6% year-over-year to $256.95 million and $210.46 million, respectively.
Also, for the same quarter, its non-GAAP net income came in at $47.15 million, or $0.34 per share, up 375.2% and 385.7% year-over-year, respectively.
Street expects SMAR's EPS and revenue for the quarter ending April 30, 2024, to increase 39.7% and 17.5% year-over-year to $0.27 and $258.29 million, respectively. The company surpassed consensus revenue and EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. Over the past nine months, the stock has declined 5% to close the last trading session at $38.69.
It's no surprise that SMAR has an overall B rating, equating to a Buy in our POWR Ratings system.
It has an A grade for Growth and a B for Sentiment and Quality. It is ranked #6 out of 19 stocks in the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-saas/">Software - SAAS</a> industry. Beyond what is stated above, we've also rated SMAR for Value, Momentum, and Stability. Get all SMAR ratings <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/SMAR/">here</a>.
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WDAY shares were trading at $266.83 per share on Friday morning, down $1.64 (-0.61%). Year-to-date, WDAY has declined -3.34%, versus a 8.37% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Rashmi Kumari</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Rashmi-Kumari_headshot_2-1.jpg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">Rashmi is passionate about capital markets, wealth management, and financial regulatory issues, which led her to pursue a career as an investment analyst. With a master's degree in commerce, she aspires to make complex financial matters understandable for individual investors and help them make appropriate investment decisions.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=rashmi-kumari">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/wday-akam-smar-3-software-buys-surging-toward-april-success/>3 Software Buys Surging Toward April Success</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>

3 Software Buys Surging Toward April Success

Enphase Energy, Super Micro most shorted S&P 500 information technology stocks in March

Akamai in talks to acquire startup Noname Security for $500M - TechCrunch

Akamai rolls out cloud infrastructure and services powered by Nvidia

As businesses increasingly rely on advanced software for multiple tasks, the software industry is witnessing a surge in spending, which is enhancing its future outlook. Against this backdrop, quality software stocks Akamai Technologies (AKAM), Tenable Holdings (TENB), and JFrog (FROG) could be watched now for bullish opportunities. Read on… The software industry is booming thanks to widespread digital transformation efforts across industries worldwide. Therefore, investors could watch fundamentally robust software stocks Akamai Technologies, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/AKAM/">AKAM</a>), Tenable Holdings, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/TENB/">TENB</a>), and JFrog Ltd. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FROG/">FROG</a>) now.
The software industry is key to economic progress and is set for continued growth in the upcoming years. Gartner forecasts worldwide software spending to reach <a href="https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/01-17-2024-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-it-spending-to-grow-six-point-eight-percent-in-2024">$1.03 trillion in 2024</a>, up 12.7% from the previous year. Furthermore, the <a href="https://www.precedenceresearch.com/software-market#:">global software market is expected to reach $1.79 trillion</a>, growing at a CAGR of 11.7% by 2032.
Moreover, the rapid incorporation of cloud, IoT devices, AR, VR, and mixed reality (MR) has infused significant growth in the software industry. Moreover, double-digit growth in enterprise security spending is anticipated this year.
Furthermore, increased government spending on cyber security solutions and the need for a defense cybersecurity system to prevent cyber-attacks amid the rising investments by businesses in 5G, IoT, AI, ML, cloud, and Big Data, have contributed to the growth of the cybersecurity market. Consequently, the <a href="https://www.grandviewresearch.com/industry-analysis/cyber-security-market">global cyber security market</a> is estimated to grow to $500.70 billion at a CAGR of 12.3% through 2030.
To that end, let's examine the fundamentals of the three stocks to watch in the software industry.
Akamai Technologies, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/AKAM/">AKAM</a>)
AKAM provides cloud computing, security, and content delivery services in the U.S. and internationally. Akamai Connected Cloud, the company's platform, is comprised of an edge and cloud architecture and underlying network for cloud computing, security, and content delivery services.
On April 15, AKAM added a new media-optimized offering based on NVIDIA GPUs to its growing cloud portfolio. With the NVIDIA RTX 4000 Ada Generation GPU, the new cloud-based service provides better productivity and economics for companies in the media and entertainment industry that are challenged with processing video content faster and more efficiently.
On April 9, AKAM launched Akamai Shield NS53, a product that protects on-premises Domain Name System (DNS) infrastructure from resource exhaustion attacks. These attacks overwhelm servers so that they can no longer respond to valid DNS queries.
AKAM's trailing-12-month cash from operations of $1.35 billion is significantly higher than the industry average of $85.44 million. Its trailing-12-month EBIT and net income margins of 18.56% and 14.37% are 289.7% and 447.8% higher than the industry averages of 4.76% and 2.62%, respectively.
For the fiscal fourth quarter that ended December 31, 2023, AKAM's <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/revenue.asp">revenue</a> and non-GAAP income from operations stood at $995.02 million and $302.67 million, up 7.2% and 17.5% year-over-year, respectively. Moreover, its adjusted EBITDA increased 11.6% from the prior-year quarter to $425.99 million.
For the same quarter, its non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share stood at $262.63 million and $1.69, up 21.3% and 23.4% from the year-ago quarter, respectively.
Street expects AKAM's revenue and EPS for the fiscal first quarter that ended March 2024 to increase 8% and 14.9% year-over-year to $988.93 million and $1.61, respectively. The company surpassed consensus EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters and consensus revenue estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, which is impressive.
The stock has gained 22.8% over the past year to close the last trading session at $101.33. Over the past nine months, it has gained 9.8%.
AKAM's <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a> reflect this promising outlook. It has an overall rating of B, which indicates Buy in our proprietary rating system. The POWR Ratings are calculated by considering 118 distinct factors, with each factor weighted to an optimal degree.
Within the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-business/">Software - Business</a> industry, AKAM is ranked #13 out of 44 stocks.
For AKAM's ratings for Growth, Value, Momentum, Stability, Sentiment, and Quality, <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/AKAM/">click here</a>.
Tenable Holdings, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/TENB/">TENB</a>)
TENB is a provider of exposure management solutions that manages, measures, and compares cybersecurity risk in complex information technology (IT) environments. 
On March 19, TENB expanded Tenable Cloud Security cloud-native application protection platform (CNAPP) capabilities for Kubernetes on-premises and public cloud environments. These latest advancements extend TENB's CNAPP benefits, such as contextual risk visibility, preventive security controls, and zero trust / least privilege enforcement, to Kubernetes.
TENB's trailing-12-month cash from operations of $149.86 million is 75.4% higher than the industry average of $85.44 million. Its trailing-12-month gross profit and levered FCF margins of 77.02% and 21.11% are 58.1% and 130.5% higher than the industry averages of 48.71% and 9.16%, respectively.
For the fiscal fourth quarter that ended December 31, 2023, TENB's revenue and non-GAAP gross profit stood at $213.31 million and $171.86 million, up 15.5% and 18.6% year-over-year, respectively. Moreover, its unlevered free cash flow increased 34.8% from the year-ago quarter to $43.29 million.
For the same quarter, its non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP earnings per share stood at $30.16 million and $0.25, up 112.3% and 108.3% from the prior-year quarter, respectively.
Street expects TENB's revenue and EPS for the fiscal first quarter that ended March 2024 to increase 13.1% and 58.7% year-over-year to $213.61 million and $0.17, respectively. The company surpassed consensus revenue and EPS estimates in the trailing four quarters.
The stock has gained 6.4% over the past nine months to close the last trading session at $45.71. Over the past six months, it has gained 3.7%.
TENB's robust prospects are reflected in its POWR Ratings. The stock has an overall B rating, equating to Buy in our proprietary rating system.
TENB has an A grade for Growth. It is ranked #7 out of 22 stocks within the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-security/">Software - Security</a> industry.
<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/TENB/">Click here</a> for the additional POWR Ratings for TENB (Value, Momentum, Stability, Sentiment, and Quality).
JFrog Ltd. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FROG/">FROG</a>)
FROG provides an end-to-end hybrid software supply chain platform in the U.S., Israel, India, and internationally. 
On February 28, FROG announced a new technology integration with Qwak, a fully managed ML Platform, that brings machine learning models alongside traditional software development processes to streamline, accelerate, and scale the secure delivery of ML applications.
On February 20, FROG and Carahsoft Technology Corp., the Trusted Government IT Solutions Provider, partnered to empower U.S. Government organizations to safeguard their software supply chains with automated DevSecOps workflows to secure software services consumed by citizens.
FROG's partnership with Carahsoft will provide public sector organizations with reliable solutions that incorporate security from the start, unburdening DevOps teams from complex and time-consuming remediation processes and ensuring compliance. This should also bode well for FROG.
FROG's trailing-12-month gross profit and levered FCF margins of 77.99% and 30.16% are 60.1% and 229.3% higher than the industry averages of 48.71% and 9.16%, respectively.
For the fiscal fourth quarter that ended December 31, 2023, FROG's total subscription revenue and non-GAAP gross profit stood at $97.26 million and $82.29 million, up 27.1% and 28.5% year-over-year, respectively. Moreover, its free cash flow increased 397.8% from the year-ago quarter to $31.98 million.
For the same quarter, its non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per share stood at $21.49 million and $0.19, up 437.8% and 375% from the prior-year quarter, respectively.
Street expects FROG's revenue and EPS for the fiscal first quarter that ended March 2024 to increase 23.6% and 138.5% year-over-year to $98.62 million and $0.14, respectively. The company surpassed consensus revenue and EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
The stock has gained 80% over the past year to close the last trading session at $37.49. Over the past six months, it has gained 57%.
FROG's POWR Ratings reflect its positive prospects. The stock has an overall B rating, equating to Buy in our proprietary rating system.
FROG has an A grade for Sentiment and a B for Growth and Quality. Within the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-application/">Software - Application</a> industry, it is ranked #43 out of 133 stocks.
To see additional POWR Ratings for Value, Momentum, and Stability for FROG, <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FROG/">click here</a>.
What To Do Next?
43 year investment veteran, Steve Reitmeister, has just released his 2024 market outlook along with trading plan and top 11 picks for the year ahead.
<a href="https://report.stocknews.com/sign-up/stock-market-outlook-2024/?formplacement=artbotad_smo24_rep">2024 Stock Market Outlook &gt;</a>

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AKAM shares were unchanged in premarket trading Wednesday. Year-to-date, AKAM has declined -14.38%, versus a 6.58% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Neha Panjwani</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Neha-Panjwani_Headshot-1.jpeg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">From her school days, Neha harbored a profound fascination for finance, a passion that steered her toward a career as an investment analyst following the completion of her bachelor's degree in commerce. Currently enrolled in the CFA program, Neha is dedicated to further enriching her comprehension of investment fundamentals.

Neha's primary objective is to aid retail investors in discerning optimal investment opportunities by diligently evaluating crucial aspects of financial instruments, with a primary focus on stocks and ETFs. Her commitment lies in empowering individuals to make informed and strategic investment decisions in the dynamic world of finance.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=neha-panjwani">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/akam-tenb-frog-top-3-software-stocks-to-watch-for-bullish-opportunities/>Top 3 Software Stocks to Watch for Bullish Opportunities</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>