Companies

Oracle Positioned to Benefit from the AI Software Revolution

Published December 10, 2024

Oracle Corp. (ORCL) is ready to take advantage of the opportunities arising from the growing enterprise software artificial intelligence (AI) revolution. This viewpoint was expressed by Dan Ives, Managing Director at Wedbush Securities, during a recent CNBC interview.

Current Situation: Ives stated, “The software phase of the AI revolution is now here,” underlining Oracle’s favorable position within the sector, particularly in comparison to industry players like Salesforce Inc. (CRM) and Palantir Technologies Inc. (PLTR).

Ives highlighted Oracle's strong competitive edge in the enterprise software market, specifically its robust cloud infrastructure and comprehensive software stack. He anticipates that Oracle will reap considerable rewards in the upcoming 12 to 18 months as both government and enterprise clients ramp up their cloud and AI endeavors.

The analyst identified 2025 as a critical year for enterprise AI applications, projecting significant growth for Oracle’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions. This trend mirrors the broader shift within the enterprise software sector, where companies increasingly incorporate AI functionalities into their core offerings.

Importance of Growth: Ives maintains an optimistic outlook on the overall tech industry, noting the remarkable growth potential of the AI sector. He believes that the transformation driven by AI represents “the biggest tech trend in the last 40 to 50 years,” a phenomenon that spans beyond just the major technology firms to include various enterprise software providers.

In its latest earnings report, Oracle announced second-quarter revenues of $14.06 billion, marking a 9% increase from the previous year. However, this figure fell short of analyst expectations, which estimated revenues at $14.11 billion, as per data from various financial sources.

Stock Performance: Following the earnings report, Oracle's stock experienced a decline of 7.80%, landing at $175.60 in after-hours trading. The stock has been on an impressive upward trajectory this year, having gained 82% year-to-date. The 52-week range for Oracle shares has been between $99.26 and $198.31.

Analysts have set a consensus price target of $170.67 for Oracle, based on evaluations from 32 experts. Price targets vary significantly, with the highest forecasted at $220 and the lowest at $110. Recent assessments from firms like RBC Capital, Guggenheim, and Jefferies indicate an average target of $201.67 for the stock, suggesting a potential upside of around 14.87% in the coming months.

Oracle, AI, Growth, Stocks