Circle

Circle shares rose about 4.5% intraday to $94 after several price-target increases, including Goldman Sachs (from $71 to $81) and Wolfe Research (from $50 to $65), while Bernstein reaffirmed its buy rating with a $140 target and Susquehanna raised its target to $92. The recovery follows a decline after reports that U.S. banks like JPMorgan are exploring proprietary stablecoins, which had created near-term competitive risks for USDC. A favorable market backdrop for growth stocks and the stock’s high beta (around 2.1) amplified the rally, which saw the shares trade between $90.36 and $95.06. » More on de.investing.com

Cathie Wood increased ARK Invest’s exposure to Circle, calling the company a technology disrupter and a prime beneficiary of stablecoin adoption. Analyst Alex Obchakevich argues the business has shifted — Circle received federal trust bank approval, turned profitable in Q2 and saw transaction revenue double — changing the old rates-driven thesis. Bernstein reiterated a $140 price target while Circle shares rallied about 47% over the past month and USDC holds roughly $73.9 billion in market cap. » More on finance.yahoo.com

Bernstein analyst Gautam Chhugani reiterated an Outperform rating on Circle and set a $140 price target, implying about 75% upside, citing renewed crypto momentum, growing stablecoin payments and potential benefits from the CLARITY Act outcome. He highlighted Circle's expanding partnerships and dominant USDC liquidity as drivers of payments and real-world blockchain use cases. Circle's Q2 showed mixed results: revenue and USDC metrics slightly missed estimates, but adjusted EBITDA beat and net income turned positive. CEO Jeremy Allaire said the bank charter could unlock custody and tokenized asset opportunities, representing an underappreciated tailwind. » More on finance.yahoo.com