The company hiked its third-quarter revenue forecast to $2.27 billion
The shares of NXP Semiconductors NV (NASDAQ:NXPI) are rising today, after the chipmaker hiked its third-quarter revenue forecast to $2.27 billion from $2 billion, citing strong demand and faster-than-expected improvement. To follow, no fewer than seven analysts raised their price targets -- the highest from Needham to $170 from $150. At last check, NXPI was up 6% at $142.90, and out of the gate hit a fresh record high of $143.90.
Today's pop is sending NXPI over the $40 level, where it was rejected after its previous Feb. 14 all-time high of $139.59. Year-to-date, the equity is now up 12.6%, having bounced from its 80-day moving average earlier in September.
Coming into today, most of the analysts in coverage needed no convincing on NXP Semiconductors stock, with 14 at a "buy" or better rating and the remaining five a tepid "hold." Meanwhile, the 12-month consensus price target of $144.60 is a chip-shot away from current levels, indicating there's still more room for price-target hikes to the shares.
Although NXPI's options pits are typically quiet, calls are flying off the shelves today in response to the news. In just the first half hour of trading, over 5,000 calls have changed hands, 21 times the average intraday amount and almost triple the number of puts traded. Leading the charge is the October 155 call, with new positions being opened. Buyers of this call are banking on more gains from NXPI one Friday from now, when the contracts expire.
Options seem like a decent way to go when weighing in on NXPI's next move. The stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 37% stands higher than 16% of all other readings in its annual range, implying that options players are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations at the moment.