CNBCยท2025-11-23 12:16Core Insights - Concerns about high valuations in AI stocks and uncertain interest rate cuts have affected investor sentiment, but Nvidia's strong earnings suggest that AI investments may not be in a bubble [1] Microsoft - Microsoft is seen as a major beneficiary of the AI boom, reporting better-than-expected fiscal Q1 results with Azure cloud revenue growing by 40% [3][5] - Analyst William Power initiated coverage on Microsoft with a buy rating and a price target of $600, while TipRanks' AI Analyst has an "outperform" rating with a price target of $628 [3][4] - Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI is viewed as a key differentiator, with a commitment to invest $13 billion and an additional $250 billion in Azure over several years [4] - The cloud business now constitutes 60% of Microsoft's total revenue, with a solid operating margin of 49% and free cash flow margin of 33% [5] - Power believes in Microsoft's potential despite immediate pressures from AI capital spending concerns [6] Booking Holdings - Booking Holdings reported strong Q3 results with double-digit gains in gross bookings and revenue, leading to an upgrade from Wedbush analyst Scott Devitt to a buy rating with a price target of $6,000 [7][10] - The company is well-positioned in the OTA market, benefiting from scale, diversification, and solid liquidity [8] - Devitt highlighted Booking's market share growth in alternative lodging and cost optimization efforts, which support reinvestment in growth initiatives [9] - Q3 gross bookings growth of 14% exceeded management's guidance, prompting an increase in the 2025 gross bookings growth estimate to 11.5% [10] DoorDash - DoorDash received an upgrade from Devitt to a buy rating with a price target of $260, despite mixed Q3 results and plans for significant spending in 2026 [12] - The stock's recent pullback is seen as an attractive risk/reward opportunity, trading at about 17.7x the 2027 adjusted EBITDA estimate [13] - Devitt acknowledges that increased spending will impact near-term margins but believes these investments are necessary for long-term growth [14] - Management plans to focus on creating a cohesive global tech platform, building new verticals, and scaling geographic expansion [14]