Citigroup Adjusts Price Target on CrowdStrike to $295 From $260

Bank of America upgraded Salesforce (CRM) to Buy, raising its price target to $285, citing AI adoption and strong free cash flow. Barclays downgraded Dell (DELL), HPE (HPE), NetApp (NTAP), HubSpot (HUBS), and monday.com (MNDY) due to AI growth concerns. Deutsche Bank upgraded Walmart (WMT) to Buy, targeting $136, citing inflation benefits. RBC downgraded GoDaddy (GDDY) to Sector Perform, citing AI's impact. MongoDB (MDB) ratings reaffirmed by Needham and BofA.

CrowdStrike shares fell 3% to $254 on October 14, 2026, due to rumors of OpenAI's potential acquisition of Trail of Bits, a cybersecurity startup. Palo Alto Networks and Fortinet also saw declines. The sector reacted to concerns about AI competition, though no deal has been confirmed. CrowdStrike's stock had risen 126% year-to-date before the drop.

CrowdStrike (CRWD) shares fell 3% on Wednesday after reports that AI startup OpenAI may acquire Trail of Bits, potentially entering cybersecurity. Analyst Gray Powell maintained a buy rating, raising the price target to $312. CrowdStrike's stock is up 115% this year, trading at 201x forward earnings.

Palo Alto Networks (PANW) fell 4% to $381.88 after a report that OpenAI plans to acquire a cybersecurity startup, raising concerns about competition. CrowdStrike (CRWD) dropped 3% to $254.05, and Fortinet (FTNT) slipped 1% to $188.66. The First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF (CIBR) declined 1.4%. OpenAI's potential entry could disrupt the sector, though Palo Alto's CEO argues scale favors larger vendors.

BTIG raised its price target for CrowdStrike (CRWD) to $312 from $245, citing AI security growth. The company's stock has surged 123% YTD, with a market cap of $268B. Analysts expect AI security revenue to grow significantly, potentially accelerating annual recurring revenue growth to 32.5% YoY in fiscal 2028. Multiple analysts have adjusted their ratings and price targets for CrowdStrike.

CrowdStrike completed its $600M acquisition of XM Cyber's tech, including 2.1M shares. XM Cyber laid off 250 Israeli employees, leaving 50. Schwarz Group, XM Cyber's owner, sold for less than its 2021 $700M purchase. CrowdStrike gains patents but not revenue or customers.