Benzinga·2025-12-22 17:52Market Performance - U.S. stocks closed higher on Friday, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining approximately 300 points as investor optimism around the AI theme continued [1] - The Dow Jones increased by around 183 points, closing at 48,134.89, while the S&P 500 rose by 0.88% to 6,834.50, and the Nasdaq Composite jumped by 1.31% to 23,307.62 during the session [1] Analyst Ratings and Stock Picks - Benzinga's Analyst Ratings API provides high-quality stock ratings through partnerships with major sell-side banks, offering insights that can serve as trading indicators for outperforming the stock market [3] - Recent stock picks from top analysts include: - Viavi Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:VIAV): Buy rating maintained with a price target increase from $18 to $20, indicating a potential upside of around 9% [6] - Analog Devices Inc (NASDAQ:ADI): Hold rating maintained with a price target raised from $258 to $291, suggesting a potential upside of around 5% [6] - Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU): Outperform rating maintained with a price target increase from $300 to $320, expecting a surge of around 17% [6] - Expedia Group Inc (NASDAQ:EXPE): Buy rating maintained with a price target raised from $285 to $326, indicating a potential gain of around 13% [6] - Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU): Overweight rating maintained with a price target increase from $300 to $335, expecting a jump of around 22% [7]