DA Davidson analyst Rishi Jaluria is keeping his Buy rating and $14 price target on Cloudera (CLDR) after the company named Robert Bearden as its new CEO following a "lengthy" search. The analyst suggests that the sale is now more likely following the announcement as well as its maintained guidance and sees IBM (IBM), Microsoft (MSFT), or private equity as the "most likely" potential buyers.

Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists. 1... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

IBM (IBM) and HashiCorp(HCP) announced they have entered into a definitive agreement under which IBM will acquire HashiCorp for $35 per share in cash, representing an enterprise value of $6.4B. HashiCorp's suite of products provides enterprises with extensive Infrastructure Lifecycle Management and Security Lifecycle Management capabilities to enable organizations to automate their hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Today's announcement is a continuation of IBM's deep focus and investment in hybrid cloud and AI, the two most transformational technologies for clients today. Under the terms of the agreement, IBM will acquire HashiCorp for $35 per share in cash, or $6.4B enterprise value, net of cash. HashiCorp will be acquired with available cash on hand. The boards of directors of IBM and HashiCorp have both approved the transaction. The acquisition is subject to approval by HashiCorp shareholders, regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions. The company's largest shareholders and investors, who collectively hold approximately 43% of the voting power of HashiCorp's outstanding common stock, entered into a voting agreement with IBM pursuant to which each has agreed to vote all of their common shares in favor of the transaction and against any alternative transactions. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024.

Notable companies reporting after the market close, with earnings consensus, include Meta Plataforms (META), consensus $4.32... IBM (IBM), consensus $1.60... ServiceNow (NOW), consensus $3.14... Lam Research (LRCX), consensus $7.30... Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG), consensus $11.68... O'Reilly Automotive (ORLY), consensus $9.26... Ford Motor (F), consensus 42c... United Rentals (URI), consensus $8.32... Align Technology (ALGN), consensus $1.97... Molina Healthcare (MOH), consensus $5.59... Teradyne (TER), consensus 33c... Universa Health Services (UHS), consensus $3.16... Western Union (WU), consensus 41c.

Pre-earnings options volume in IBM is 1.3x normal with calls leading puts 9:4. Implied volatility suggests the market is anticipating a move near 5.0%, or $9.21, after results are released. Median move over the past eight quarters is 4.8%.

Microsoft (MSFT) is scheduled to report results of the third quarter of its fiscal year 2024 after the market close on Thursday, April 25, with a conference call scheduled for 5:30 pm ET. What to watch... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

"Game On" is The Fly's weekly recap of the stories powering up or beating down video game stocks. NEW RELEASES: This... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

IBM (IBM) is nearing a deal to acquire HashiCorp (HCP) for about $35 per share, Ryan Gould and Brody Ford of Bloomberg report, citing people with knowledge of the matter. IBM and HashiCorp could announce the deal as soon as Wednesday, sources told Bloomberg. Shares of HashiCorp are up 9% to $31.81 following the report.

IBM (IBM) is scheduled to report results of its fiscal first quarter after the market close on April 24, with a conference call scheduled for 5:00 pm ET. What to watch... To see the rest of the story go to thefly.com. See Story Here

Captivision announced its collaboration with Activision's Call of Duty: Mobile and Framework for the recent installation at the Framework in the Desert afterparty in Coachella Valley. Through this collaboration, Captivision delivered a unique media glass installation over the course of the festival. The collaboration marked the inception of a new area of strategic focus for Captivision dedicated to pushing boundaries and redefining the live entertainment experience. At Framework in the Desert, multiple freight container structures were unveiled that featured Captivision's media glass. This innovative installation served as the canvas for an inspiring display of imagery and content for all in attendance. The media presentation included assets from Activision's Call of Duty: Mobile and Framework, in addition to artwork and animations that enhanced the musical ambiance throughout the weekend.

BTIG downgraded HashiCorp (HCP) to Neutral from Buy without a price target. The analyst sees a balanced risk/reward after the stock's recent run following takeover speculation. The firm believes the potential takeover by IBM (IBM) has a "lot of merits." HashiCorp is a good strategic asset with strong product capabilities, and deal synergies with a large acquirer such as IBM would be substantial, the analyst tells investors in a research note. Given there is still some uncertainty on a deal being consummated and a typical closing process in the 6-9 month range, BTIG sees limited incremental upside to shares in the near term.