Stifel analyst Brad Reback raised his price target for Microsoft (MSFT) to $155 from $150 saying the company last night posted a "strong" Q4. Microsoft is effectively tapping into "sizable" Tier-1 enterprise workloads, a segment of the market that has historically been reserved for legacy providers like IBM (IBM), Oracle (ORCL) and SAP (SAP), Reback tells investors in a research note. He believes this leads to a "significant expansion" in Microsoft's total addressable market and should support growth at scale for many years to come. The analyst keeps a Buy rating on the shares.

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.

HSBC raised the firm's price target on SAP to EUR 200 from EUR 180 and keeps a Buy rating on the shares. The company's Q1 report was "solid even if not spectacular" as it sees continued strong momentum, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm says SAP's long-term revenue growth prospects are supported by a shift to cloud combined with monetization of its artificial intelligence opportunity.

Vertex (VERX) announced that it has been selected to join the Oracle Independent Software Vendor, ISV, Accelerator for SaaS Initiative. With expertise in Oracle (ORCL) Cloud Fusion Cloud Applications integrations, Vertex continues to leverage the power of contract and tax data to optimize customer operations and outcomes. "Building on our longstanding relationship with Oracle, we are thrilled to join the Oracle ISV Accelerator," said Bradd Wildstein, Vice President, Indirect Sales at Vertex, Inc. "Through this partnership, Vertex can now enhance our customers' finance and sales processes by integrating essential tax solutions into Oracle Fusion Applications. It's more than just data integration - it's about unifying disparate functions, streamlining operations, and amplifying benefits for our mutual customers."

Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison said the company is moving its world headquarters to Nashville, Tennessee, Ashley Capoot of CNBC reports. Ellison said Oracle is moving to a "huge campus" and it is closer to "the center of the industry we're most concerned about, which is the health-care industry." Reference Link

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.

Barclays lowered the firm's price target on SAP to $210 from $212 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares post the Q1 report. SAP is well positioned for artificial intelligence, but the near-term financial impact is likely to be limited, while any restructuring creep should drive further EBIT upside, files to sell common stock, no amount given

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) is nearing an acquisition of HashiCorp (HCP) and deal could come together in the coming days, Lauren Thomas and Laura Cooper of Wall Street Journal report, citing people familiar with the matter. A deal for HashiCorp would likely command a premium above where the stock is currently trading, the Journal says. Shares of HashiCorp jumped 7% to $26.37 following the report before halting for volatility. IBM is down 66c to $181.28 in afternoon trade. Reference Link

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

Jefferies analyst Brent Thill lowered the firm's price target on IBM to $210 from $215 and keeps a Hold rating on the shares. IBM remains a "show me story" as the company looks to reposition itself around a software-led strategy, the analyst tells investors in a research note. The firm likes the company's initiatives to bolster its software growth and profitability profile, but thinks better execution on the new go-to-market strategy and further investments in the organic engine are necessary to drive long-term software growth higher. Until signs of a re-energized software business are seen, IBM's risk/reward "seems balanced," Jefferies contends.