Wedbush Boosts AXT (NASDAQ:AXTI) Price Target to $28.00

AXT (NASDAQ:AXTI) had its price target upped by research analysts at Wedbush from $8.50 to $28.00 in a research note issued on Friday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. The firm presently has an “outperform” rating on the semiconductor company’s stock. Wedbush’s target price indicates a potential downside of 5.66% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also commented on the stock. UBS Group set a $35.00 price target on shares of AXT in a research note on Tuesday. B. Riley Financial downgraded AXT from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and upped their target price for the company from $9.00 to $18.00 in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Craig Hallum reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of AXT in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Wall Street Zen raised AXT from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. Finally, Northland Securities set a $20.00 price target on shares of AXT in a research note on Monday, December 22nd. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $22.80.

AXT Trading Up 24.7%

AXTI stock opened at $29.68 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.64 billion, a PE ratio of -61.83 and a beta of 1.96. AXT has a 1-year low of $1.13 and a 1-year high of $30.80. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $19.78 and its 200 day simple moving average is $10.98.

AXT (NASDAQ:AXTI) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The semiconductor company reported ($0.05) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.04) by ($0.01). AXT had a negative net margin of 24.07% and a negative return on equity of 10.59%. The business had revenue of $23.04 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $24.24 million. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that AXT will post -0.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at AXT

In related news, CEO Morris S. Young sold 35,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $12.05, for a total value of $421,750.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 2,495,564 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $30,071,546.20. The trade was a 1.38% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director David C. Chang sold 25,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, December 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $14.84, for a total transaction of $371,000.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 132,744 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,969,920.96. This represents a 15.85% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 110,000 shares of company stock worth $1,369,000. 8.80% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On AXT

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in AXTI. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its holdings in shares of AXT by 12.4% during the 3rd quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 22,952 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock worth $103,000 after acquiring an additional 2,540 shares during the period. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. raised its position in AXT by 30.1% during the fourth quarter. Jefferies Financial Group Inc. now owns 14,967 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $245,000 after purchasing an additional 3,467 shares in the last quarter. State of Wyoming bought a new stake in AXT during the fourth quarter worth $69,000. Kestra Advisory Services LLC bought a new stake in AXT during the fourth quarter worth $98,000. Finally, Algert Global LLC boosted its holdings in shares of AXT by 31.9% in the 3rd quarter. Algert Global LLC now owns 28,800 shares of the semiconductor company’s stock valued at $129,000 after purchasing an additional 6,970 shares in the last quarter. 49.52% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about AXT

Here are the key news stories impacting AXT this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrade/price target bump: Wedbush raised its price target to $28 and kept an “outperform” rating, which added institutional credibility and buy‑side interest. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Unusually large call buying: Traders purchased roughly 6,246 call options (about a 66% jump vs. average), signaling speculative/hedged bullish positioning that can amplify upside momentum. (Options flow reported intraday.)
• Positive Sentiment: Momentum / market coverage: AXT was mentioned among equities moving higher in broader market roundups, which can attract momentum traders and headline‑driven flows. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Company press release and call: AXT filed its Q4/fiscal‑2025 results and management said export permits were lower than hoped in Q4 but that some permits have since arrived and they expect sequential revenue improvement; that commentary reduces uncertainty if permits continue to clear. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Full call transcripts published (MSN, Seeking Alpha) — provide detail for investors evaluating management’s tone, guidance and permit timing. Read More. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and revenue miss: AXT reported a ($0.05) EPS vs. a ($0.04) consensus and revenue of $23.04M vs. $24.24M expected — results show continuing losses and a negative margin profile, which are fundamental headwinds. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Export‑permit uncertainty: Outside coverage flagged that export hurdles cloud the near‑term outlook for AI‑chip substrate demand; delayed permits materially affected Q4 revenue and remain a risk until permit flow steadies. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Short interest / data quirks: Recent short‑interest entries reported odd/zero values and short‑ratio metrics that don’t indicate a clear squeeze signal; treat these figures cautiously until clarified.

AXT Company Profile

AXT, Inc (NASDAQ: AXTI) is a global supplier of compound and single-element semiconductor substrates, offering a range of materials critical for high-performance electronic and optoelectronic devices. Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Fremont, California, AXT specializes in the development, manufacture and distribution of wafers composed of gallium arsenide (GaAs), indium phosphide (InP), gallium nitride (GaN) and other compound semiconductor materials. These substrates serve as the foundational platforms for devices used in data communications, wireless infrastructure, advanced computing, consumer electronics and photovoltaic applications.

AXT’s product portfolio encompasses a variety of wafer sizes, dopant concentrations and crystal orientations, tailored to meet the precise specifications of its customers.