One of the biggest analyst notes this morning came out of Nomura Instinet, which initiated coverage on semiconductor stocks Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) and Advanced Micro Devices (NASDSAQ:AMD) with "buy" recommendations. The brokerage firm says cyclical concerns could put pressure on chipmakers in the near term, but that it's bullish on the pair's longer-term prospects.
Specifically, Nomura expects new technology such as artificial intelligence (AI), autonomous driving, 5G, data centers, and the internet of things (IoT) to drive expanded adoption of semiconductors. Moreover, it predicts chip sales could increase by 7%-9% between 2020 and 2025.
The note called out what it sees as Intel's "dominance" in the self-driving car and AI spaces, which will be a main driver for the company's long-term growth. INTC shares are up 1.5% this morning at $55.19, bringing their year-to-date lead to 18%. This would mark the first close above $55 since June. As for options data, there's a huge amount of open interest at the front-month April 55 call.
For AMD, the analyst note wrote that the company's position in graphics processing unit (GPU) markets is especially noteworthy, and that it could benefit from new product launches going forward. The stock has been in a strong uptrend since its December low near $16, checking in at $28.66, up 7.1% so far today. As for near-term options activity, traders have taken a strong interest in the April 20 put, where there's been a mix of buy- and sell-to-open.