Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) shares are slipping Monday as investors play it cool ahead of the company's first-quarter earnings report, due out Tuesday. The stock is down about 1.4% in premarket trading, part of a broader tech sector pullback that has Nasdaq futures off 0.25% and S&P 500 futures down 0.30%.
The caution makes sense. AMD has had a monster run — up more than 258% over the past year — and expectations are high. Analysts are looking for earnings per share of $1.24 on revenue of $9.88 billion. That's a lot to live up to, and the market is bracing for whatever comes next.
What the Analysts Are Saying
Wall Street is a bit split on AMD right now. The stock carries a Buy rating on average, with a mean price target of $299.38. But recent moves show some divergence:
- RBC Capital maintained a Sector Perform rating on May 1 but raised its price target to $325.00.
- Susquehanna is more bullish, keeping a Positive rating and lifting its target to $375.00 on April 29.
- Northland Capital Markets took the other side, downgrading to Market Perform with a $260.00 target on April 27.
That's a wide range — from $260 to $375 — which tells you there's real uncertainty about where AMD goes from here. The stock's price-to-earnings ratio of 138.1 doesn't leave much room for error.
Technical Levels to Watch
AMD is trading near the top of its 52-week range of $96.45 to $362.79. The stock is currently around $355, which puts it close to that high. The relative strength index (RSI) is at 80.03 — well into overbought territory — suggesting the rally might be getting a bit stretched.
Here are the key levels traders are watching:
- Resistance at $363: That's near the 52-week high, where rallies have recently stalled.
- Support at $285: Around the 20-day simple moving average, where dip-buyers might step in.
The stock is trading 25.2% above its 20-day SMA and 56.6% above its 100-day SMA, so it's well above those moving averages. That could mean a pullback is due, or it could mean the momentum is strong enough to push through resistance.
Either way, Tuesday's earnings report will likely set the tone. If AMD delivers a beat and gives a strong outlook, that $363 resistance could become support. If not, the stock might test lower levels. Investors are watching closely.