Apple, Boeing, QUALCOMM Upgraded

Analysts are weighing in on iPhone parent Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), fellow Dow stock Boeing Co (NYSE:BA), and digital communications specialist QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of AAPL, BA, and QCOM.

RBC Says AAPL Stock at "An Attractive Entry Point"

RBC Capital reiterated its "outperform" rating and raised its price target to $168 from $157 on AAPL stock, saying its at "an attractive entry point for investors to benefit from its ability to return to revenue and EPS growth in FY17." The brokerage firm added that Apple has the "potential to achieve a $1.0 trillion dollar market cap and even surpass that" in the upcoming iPhone 8 cycle, compared to its current market cap of $798 billion, based on last week's close at $153.06.

RBC joins a growing list of bullish analysts that have chimed in on Apple stock recently -- boosting the shares 0.5% in electronic trading, even after Universal Secure Registry filed a patent infringement lawsuit against the company. However, seven brokerage firms still maintain a "hold" or "strong sell" rating, leaving the door open for another round of upgrades to help AAPL stock try and take out its May 15 record peak of $156.65.

Saudi Arabia News, PT Hike Boost BA Stock

After settling Friday at $180.76, BA stock is trading up nearly 1.9% ahead of the bell. Boosting the shares is news Boeing signed a deals with Saudi Arabia for military and passenger aircraft orders, while defense stocks in general are getting a lift after President Donald Trump inked a $350 billion arms deal with members of the Gulf region. A price-target hike to $200 from $190 at Barclays is only stoking the bullish flames.

Today's projected price action would be more of the same for Boeing shares, which are up 16% year-to-date, and a pullback from their May 9 record peak at $187.21 finding a firm foothold atop the rising 80-day moving average. There's more room for analysts to raise their ratings on BA stock, too, with seven of 16 maintaining a "hold" or worse suggestion.

QCOM Stock Upgraded at J.P. Morgan Securities

QCOM stock was upgraded to "overweight" from "neutral" at J.P. Morgan Securities, after the tech name priced $11 billion worth of senior notes. The brokerage firm also set its price target at $68 -- territory not charted since December -- citing optimism over Qualcomm's upcoming acquisition of NXP Semiconductors NV (NASDAQ:NXPI), which will likely overshadow any volatility over legal woes with Apple. QCOM stock is trading up 2.2% ahead of the bell, after settling Friday at $57.67. Nevertheless, the shares are still deep in the red on a year-to-date basis, amid increased selling pressure from shorts. Short interest surged 30.7% in the most recent reporting period to 20.9 million QCOM shares.