Abivax stock ticks up amid renewed takeover speculation

Investing.com – Morocco stocks were lower after the close on Tuesday, as losses in the Utilities, Banking and Mining sectors led shares lower.

At the close in Casablanca, the Moroccan All Shares lost 0.66%.

The best performers of the session on the Moroccan All Shares were Lesieur Cristal (CSE:LES), which rose 4.82% or 17.40 points to trade at 378.50 at the close. Meanwhile, SMI (CSE:SMI) added 2.59% or 150.00 points to end at 5,950.00 and Disway SA (CSE:DWY) was up 2.18% or 19.00 points to 890.00 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Akdital SA (CSE:AKT), which fell 4.00% or 50.00 points to trade at 1,200.00 at the close. Ste de Travaux de Realisation d’Ouvrages et de Constuction Industielle SA (CSE:STR) declined 3.78% or 9.00 points to end at 229.00 and Residences Dar Saada SA (CSE:RDS) was down 3.66% or 6.05 points to 159.45.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the Casablanca Stock Exchange by 44 to 14 and 3 ended unchanged.

Crude oil for March delivery was up 1.70% or 1.01 to $60.35 a barrel. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Brent oil for delivery in March rose 1.55% or 0.99 to hit $64.93 a barrel, while the February Gold Futures contract rose 3.40% or 156.11 to trade at $4,751.51 a troy ounce.

EUR/MAD was up 0.32% to 10.75, while USD/MAD fell 0.41% to 9.17.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.87% at 98.33.

Investing.com -- Susquehanna analysts are bullish on Samsung Electronics and bearish on SK Hynix.  

Samsung has a capacity advantage that positions it better for the next wave of AI-related memory demand as its DRAM business, its largest unit, has finally stabilized manufacturing at its latest 1c-node process. Samsung Electronics was upgraded to Positive

Susquehanna downgraded SK Hynix, arguing that any gains by Samsung are likely to come at Hynix’s expense. SK stock already reflects much of the upside and faces the risk of losing HBM market share as capacity constraints bite.

Samsung’s improvement has lifted both output and performance, including in early samples of its next-generation high-bandwidth memory, known as HBM4, which is used in advanced AI chips.

The firm said recent checks show a clear improvement in the HBM4 samples Samsung has delivered to major AI customers, even though final industry specifications for HBM4 are still being set.

Susquehanna pointed to Samsung’s available factory space as a key differentiator. Samsung has spare clean-room capacity at its P4 facility that can be used quickly to produce HBM4, covering both wafer production and the complex stacking process needed for these chips. Rivals, by contrast, appear to be operating close to full capacity.

That gap matters because demand for high-bandwidth memory is expected to rise sharply as AI chips evolve. Susquehanna expects Samsung to be able to scale HBM4 production faster and in larger volumes than SK Hynix, the current market leader, which the firm said is effectively “maxed out” on space.

Susquehanna forecasts Samsung’s share of the HBM market rising to about 22% by 2027. It estimates HBM will make up around 10% of Samsung’s DRAM revenue by the end of 2026, increasing to roughly 13% to 15% in 2027.

The firm raised its earnings estimates for Samsung and upgraded the stock to Positive, citing a higher contribution from HBM products as AI-related demand grows.

Investing.com -- Evercore ISI has added Apple to its Tactical Outperform list, citing expectations of “near-term upside to street estimates” ahead of the company’s December quarter results on January 29. 

The firm reiterated its Outperform rating and $330 base-case target price on the stock.

Analyst Amit Daryanani said Evercore ISI is “modeling revs/EPS of $140.5B/2.71, ahead of street at $137.4B/2.67,” driven primarily by stronger-than-expected iPhone performance and limited cost pressures. 

According to the note, industry checks indicate “robust iPhone demand + minimal memory cost headwind,” helping to support the bullish near-term view.

Evercore ISI said iPhone sales have skewed toward premium models, which is favourable for average selling prices. 

The firm is forecasting iPhone revenue growth of “+17% y/y for FQ1 relative to street at +11%,” consistent with Apple’s prior guidance for double-digit growth in the segment.

The analysts also highlighted momentum in Services despite softer App Store trends. The team is projecting segment revenue to rise 13% year-on-year, supported by stronger contributions from AppleCare and bundled subscriptions. 

Evercore noted that “a strong iPhone product cycle typically reflects stronger warranty sales,” helping offset weaker gaming revenue in Asia.

On the cost side, Apple is “more insulated through the Dec-/Mar-qtrs due to LTAs that secured NAND supply and pricing,” with gross margin expectations of 47.6% for the December quarter and 47.8% for March.

“Net/Net: We’re adding AAPL to our TAP OP list ahead of Dec-qtr earnings,” Evercore ISI wrote, calling Apple its “top pick for CY26.”

Investing.com -- Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:BIDU) shares rose 1% in Tuesday trading following reports that its primary artificial intelligence interface has reached a significant adoption milestone. The Beijing-based search giant’s Ernie Assistant has officially surpassed 200 million monthly active users, according to reporting from The Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the matter.

The growth comes as the company deepens the integration of its Ernie model into its flagship search application and personal computer software. The assistant now serves as a central hub for third-party services, allowing users to book flights via Trip.com or order food delivery through Meituan.

Global competition in the generative AI sector remains fierce as companies race for dominant market share. While Baidu celebrates its 200 million user milestone, OpenAI’s ChatGPT continues to lead the global market with an estimated reach of over 810 million monthly active users, according to a December report from TechCrunch, citing SensorTower data.

Domestic rivals are also gaining ground rapidly within the Chinese internet ecosystem. Alibaba Group’s (NYSE:BABA) Qwen assistant reported surpassing 100 million monthly active users in January 2026, reaching that mark just two months after its public beta launch.

Baidu has responded to this pressure by expanding the versatility of its "AI Super App" to include health and legal advice. Additionally, users can now utilize the platform to generate high-fidelity videos and images.

The company’s stock performance reflects investor optimism regarding the monetization of these large-scale user bases.

KWF Group Holding Limited (KWF) has filed for 3,750,000 share Nasdaq IPO at $4 per share.

Investing.com -- As the IT services sector prepares to report fourth-quarter 2025 results, Jefferies analysts expect performances to be in-line or slightly better than market expectations.

While quarter-over-quarter demand appears stable to modestly improving, there remains some risk that 2026 guidance could be conservative following three challenging years in the industry.

Here’s a look at the top IT services stocks according to Jefferies’ latest analysis:

Cognizant

Jefferies maintains a Buy rating on Cognizant, expecting another quarter of robust managed services bookings. The company should benefit as previously secured large deals continue to ramp up.

Analysts are particularly interested in potential "green shoots" in the business and anticipate management will provide a solid but achievable guidance for 2026. The firm views Cognizant’s positioning favorably as the IT services market shows signs of stabilization.

Cognizant Technology Solutions announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Microsoft to develop AI-powered solutions and completed its acquisition of 3Cloud, a Microsoft Azure services provider. Following these developments, William Blair upgraded the company’s rating to Outperform, citing its AI-focused strategy.

EPAM Systems

Also rated as a Buy, EPAM is expected to deliver solid fourth-quarter results with positive commentary surrounding AI-native projects and margins. Jefferies projects initial 2026 guidance to reflect year-over-year constant currency growth in the range of 5-8%.

However, there may be some risk to margin guidance as management appears inclined to prioritize investments in artificial intelligence capabilities over near-term margin expansion.

In recent developments, EPAM Systems reported third-quarter results that exceeded analyst expectations and raised its full-year outlook. The company also launched seven new AI agents on Google Cloud Marketplace and saw Truist Securities initiate coverage with a Hold rating.

Grid Dynamics

Jefferies, which rates Grid Dynamics a Buy, expects fourth-quarter results to align with the company’s guidance. Commentary will likely focus on margin expansion initiatives and AI-related revenues.

For 2026, analysts anticipate guidance reflecting growth of approximately 10-15% (or at least double-digits), though first-quarter guidance may be flat to modestly positive due to fewer billable days in the period. Notably, Jefferies maintains the highest estimates on Wall Street for Grid Dynamics’ 2026 revenues and adjusted earnings per share.

Grid Dynamics reported third-quarter 2025 earnings that matched analyst expectations, with revenue reaching $104.2 million. The company also entered into a multi-year strategic collaboration agreement with Amazon Web Services to advance enterprise AI initiatives.

As the sector navigates the transition into 2026, investors should pay close attention to management commentary regarding demand trends, AI integration, and margin outlooks.

The cautious approach to guidance may create opportunities for companies to outperform conservative expectations, particularly for those with strong positioning in high-growth areas like artificial intelligence and managed services.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.