Today: 21 May 2026
CrowdStrike stock ends higher as Wedbush backs AI tailwind; Zacks cuts rating to hold
29 December 2025
2 mins read

CrowdStrike stock ends higher as Wedbush backs AI tailwind; Zacks cuts rating to hold

NEW YORK, December 28, 2025, 23:01 ET — Market closed

  • CrowdStrike shares closed Friday up about 0.8% at $481.19.
  • Wedbush reiterated an “Outperform” rating and a $600 price target, citing AI-driven momentum. Stocktwits
  • MarketBeat reported Zacks Research lowered its rating on the stock to “hold.” MarketBeat

CrowdStrike Holdings (CRWD) shares closed Friday up $4, or about 0.8%, at $481.19, in light post-holiday trading.

The stock has become a year-end battleground for investors trying to price how much of the “cyber meets AI” trade is already in the shares, after a sharp run this year. Research notes can move sentiment quickly when volumes thin out into the final trading days of December. Stocktwits

Macro remains a swing factor for high-growth software names, with markets looking ahead to the Federal Reserve’s minutes from its December meeting this week. Investors also have fresh housing data on deck on Monday.

Wedbush, in a note cited by Stocktwits, kept its “Outperform” rating and a $600 price target, calling CrowdStrike a leading way to play the intersection of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. A price target is an analyst’s estimate of where a stock could trade over the next 12 months. Stocktwits

“CrowdStrike remains one of our favorite tech names,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote, pointing to deal momentum and AI as a tailwind. Stocktwits

The firm said adoption across CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform and related modules was supporting its bullish view into 2026, according to the report.

On the more cautious side, MarketBeat reported that Zacks Research lowered its rating on CrowdStrike to “hold,” a move that can temper momentum trading late in the year. MarketBeat

CrowdStrike has been pushing deeper into AI security. The company said on Dec. 15 it made Falcon AI Detection and Response (AIDR) generally available to secure “prompt and agent” interactions — the layer where users and software agents interact with AI models. ir.crowdstrike.com+1

The last major company catalyst came earlier this month. CrowdStrike forecast fourth-quarter revenue above estimates and raised its full-year revenue outlook on Dec. 2, citing demand for AI-integrated security tools, Reuters reported.

The broader market backdrop has been supportive into year-end, though volumes have been thin. U.S. stocks ended marginally lower on Friday after the holiday, as investors looked toward rate policy and 2026 positioning, Reuters reported.

Before Monday’s opening, traders will watch the National Association of Realtors’ pending home sales report due at 10 a.m. ET. Pending home sales track signed contracts for existing homes and can move rate-sensitive sectors.

Later in the week, the Fed’s calendar shows minutes from the Dec. 9–10 meeting due on Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 2 p.m. ET — a potential catalyst for high-valuation tech if rates expectations shift.

Technically, traders will be watching whether CrowdStrike holds above Friday’s low near $475 and whether it can push through resistance near $482, Friday’s high.

For the next company-specific catalyst, TipRanks lists CrowdStrike’s next earnings report date as March 10, 2026 after the close. Investors typically focus on subscription growth, annual recurring revenue — a measure of revenue expected to repeat — and operating margin trends in results.

Stock Market Today

  • FTSE 100 Opens Lower with ConvaTec and Mitchells & Butlers Among Losers
    May 21, 2026, 4:19 AM EDT. The FTSE 100 index opened down 40 points at just under 10,393, led by declines in ConvaTec and Mitchells & Butlers. ConvaTec shares dropped 3.7% despite reassuring revenue and unchanged full-year guidance, boosted by a new patch pump supply deal. Mitchells & Butlers fell 7.9% following interim results. QinetiQ Group, a FTSE 250 defence contractor, raised its dividend 24% and expanded its share buyback after an 18% rise in operating profit to £218 million. EasyJet posted a wider half-year pre-tax loss of £552 million due to rising fuel costs and reduced bookings amid Middle East tensions, while BT maintained profits with an upgraded dividend policy. Precious metals and copper miners also weighed on the market at open.

Latest articles

Wall Street Feels the Heat (and Thrill): Fed Cuts, Tariffs & Mega-Mergers Set NYSE Buzz

US Stock Market Today: Live Updates 21.05.2026

21 May 2026
LIVEMarkets rolling coverageStarted: May 21, 2026, 4:00 AM EDTUpdated: May 21, 2026, 4:20 AM EDT InterContinental Hotels Group PLC Buys Back 40,000 Shares, Plans Cancellation May 21, 2026, 4:20 AM EDT. InterContinental Hotels Group PLC repurchased 40,000 of its ordinary shares on May 20, 2026, through Goldman Sachs International on the London Stock Exchange. The purchase prices ranged from $150.15 to $154.95 per share, averaging $152.06. These shares are to be cancelled, reducing the total shares outstanding to 149,627,985, excluding 5,431,782 held in treasury. This buyback is part of the authority granted by shareholders at the 2025 Annual General Meeting
FTSE 100 Slips Today as BT, Sage and Oil Risks Put London Stocks on Edge

FTSE 100 Slips Today as BT, Sage and Oil Risks Put London Stocks on Edge

21 May 2026
FTSE 100 fell 0.34% to 10,396.72 in early London trading, reversing part of Wednesday’s rally. BT reported flat core earnings at £8.2 billion as fibre demand offset a 3% revenue drop. Sage lifted its FY26 revenue outlook after first-half revenue rose 11%. easyJet posted a £552 million loss and warned of uncertainty due to higher fuel costs and weaker bookings.
Fed Officials Float Rate Hikes Again as Cut Hopes Wobble

Fed Officials Float Rate Hikes Again as Cut Hopes Wobble

21 May 2026
Federal Reserve minutes released Wednesday showed most officials see possible rate hikes if inflation remains above 2%. Markets and economists have pushed back expectations for rate cuts, with some now anticipating increases. The Fed’s benchmark rate held at 3.50% to 3.75% in April. The next FOMC meeting is set for June 16-17.
Intel’s 107,000-sq-ft Santa Clara buildout: what city documents show
Previous Story

Intel’s 107,000-sq-ft Santa Clara buildout: what city documents show

Altria stock drops on ex-dividend move as Juul patent fight returns to view
Next Story

Altria stock drops on ex-dividend move as Juul patent fight returns to view

Go toTop