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Oracle Has Fallen 18% in 2026. Wall Street's Top Pick Just Set a $210 Price Target.

newsfeedback@fool.com (Catie Hogan)
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⚡ Quantum Brief
Oracle’s stock plunged 18% in early 2026 after surging in late 2025, but analysts now call the sell-off overdone following a record quarter with 20%+ revenue and earnings growth. JPMorgan upgraded Oracle to Overweight with a $210 price target, citing improved risk-reward after the drop, while Barclays set a $240 target, both far above the current $159 share price. Remaining Performance Obligations hit $553 billion, a 325% yearly jump, signaling strong future revenue despite short-term AI spending concerns and high debt levels. Oracle secured $25 billion in debt to fund AI data center expansion, easing fears about liquidity, and announced layoffs of 20,000–30,000 employees to cut costs and bolster cash flow. Analysts now view Oracle as undervalued, with its massive backlog and cost cuts positioning it for long-term growth despite earlier overvaluation and OpenAI concentration risks.
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By Catie Hogan – Mar 15, 2026 at 1:19PM ESTKey PointsOracle's Remaining Performance Obligations reached $553 billion in its latest quarter.JPMorgan raised its price target for Oracle to $210.What's going on with Oracle (ORCL 2.60%) this year? The stock has struggled through the first few months of 2026 and is down more than 18% after skyrocketing in the third quarter of 2025. The worst may be over now, according to JPMorgan's latest analysis. ExpandNYSE: ORCLOracleToday's Change(-2.60%) $-4.13Current Price$155.03Key Data PointsMarket Cap$446BDay's Range$154.15 - $160.7752wk Range$118.86 - $345.72Volume1.1MAvg Vol29MGross Margin64.30%Dividend Yield1.29% A record quarter lifts the mood Oracle just delivered a record quarter, with earnings per share and total revenue both up by more than 20% year over year. Management said this was the first time in over 15 years that Oracle experienced 20% growth in both metrics in the same period. JPMorgan quickly upgraded Oracle to Overweight from Neutral following the earnings report. The recent sell-off improved the company's risk-reward profile, according to JPMorgan analyst Mark Murphy. The bank set a $210 price target for Oracle. Barclays also increased its price target for Oracle to $240 following the earnings release. The stock closed still well below targets at $159 on March 12. Analysts are bullish on Oracle because many believe the recent sell-off was overblown and that the company now offers a more attractive entry point and fairer valuation. Oracle also successfully secured $25 billion in debt, which eases concerns about its debt rating and the need to raise incremental funds throughout 2026. Image source: Getty Images. There were many concerns about Oracle at the start of the year, which contributed to its stock's decline. From over-concentration in OpenAI to fears about the high cost of AI-related capital expenditures, and more debt financing to meet build-out demand, the extraordinarily high valuation no longer seemed justified. Since September 2025, Oracle has declined by more than 50% from its 52-week high of $345. The massive build-out continues The short-term headwinds don't negate the fact that Oracle's Remaining Performance Obligations (RPOs) reached $553 billion in the third-quarter 2026 report, a 325% increase compared to the year prior. RPOs represent non-cancelable future revenue, including invoiced and backlogged contracts. Growing RPOs are a strong signal of continued momentum. There's no doubt that Oracle's most recent quarter has shifted the narrative among investors and analysts. The company also recently announced it will layoff 12% to 18% of its workforce, between 20,000 and 30,000 jobs, in an effort to improve its cash position. For long-term investors who can tolerate Oracle's high debt load and its need to spend exorbitant amounts building out AI data centers, the stock is far more attractively priced now than it was through much of 2025. Oracle's huge backlog is promising, and the company is cutting expenses while investing in its future. Oracle should continue to deliver significant growth for investors for quite some time. Hitting JPMorgan's raised price target of $210 doesn't seem so far off now.Read NextMar 14, 2026 •By Bram Berkowitz2 Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks With Average Upside of 47% and 54%, According to Wall StreetMar 14, 2026 •By Anthony Di PizioCould Oracle Become America's Next $1 Trillion Technology Stock?Mar 13, 2026 •By Geoffrey SeilerOracle Shares Jump on Strong Outlook.

Is It Time to Buy the Stock?Mar 12, 2026 •By David Jagielski, CPAAre Bearish Investors All Wrong About Oracle Stock?Mar 12, 2026 •By Harsh ChauhanOracle Just Delivered Incredible News for Artificial Intelligence (AI) InvestorsMar 11, 2026 •By Joe TenebrusoWhy Oracle Stock Popped TodayAbout the AuthorCatie is a contributing Motley Fool stock market analyst covering technology, consumer goods, transportation, industrials, materials, and energy. She's the founder of the family finances newsletter, Cents of Humor. Catie was formerly the Head of Advice & Coaching at Parthean and an advisor at Element Financial Group. She's the writer and a producer of the hit off-Broadway show, Vape!

The Grease Parody. Catie has a degree in journalism from Emerson College.TMFCatieHoganStocks MentionedOracleNYSE: ORCL$155.03(-2.60%)-$4.13JPMorgan ChaseNYSE: JPM$283.37(+0.17%)+$0.48BarclaysNYSE: BCS$20.44(-2.18%)-$0.46*Average returns of all recommendations since inception. Cost basis and return based on previous market day close.

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