Micron shares rose 3.5% to $1,005.65 in Monday premarket trading, extending the stock’s gains for a fifth straight session as investors responded to developments in U.S. trade policy and a series of bullish analyst calls.

The move came after Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told The Wall Street Journal that the Trump administration is actively pushing American companies away from Chinese memory chip suppliers. “It’s not great American companies using Chinese memory,” Lutnick said. Micron sits at the center of that dynamic: it is the only U.S.-headquartered company among the world’s three dominant DRAM makers, alongside South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and its DRAM and NAND chips go into everything from smartphones and PCs to the servers that run AI data centers.

The administration also reportedly contacted Apple about its early discussions with ChangXin Memory Technologies, or CXMT. Apple had been exploring possible arrangements with CXMT to source components for certain products sold in the Chinese market.

CXMT recently completed its Chinese listing and has made rapid progress in traditional DRAM technology, according to Counterpoint Research, which said the company accounted for 7% of global market revenue in Q2. However, U.S. regulations require American companies to obtain a license before exchanging product specifications with the Chinese manufacturer.

South Korean competitor SK Hynix also benefited, with its American depositary receipts rising 4.2% in early trading.

Analysts Raise Micron Targets

New Street Research analyst Pierre Ferragu upgraded Micron to Buy from Neutral and set a $1,250 price target. He cited strong financial performance, tight memory supply, and signs that the memory market may be shifting into a longer growth phase rather than following its usual cyclical pattern — a meaningful claim in a business that has long been one of the semiconductor industry’s most pronounced boom-and-bust markets.

UBS analyst Timothy Arcuri took an even more bullish view, assigning a $1,625 target. He projected earnings per share of $74.13 in 2026, rising to $184.89 in 2027 and $265.65 in 2028. He expects EPS to remain above $160 through 2029.

Micron shares have climbed nearly 700% over the past 12 months, though they remain below their summer peak above $1,200.

Memory Prices Continue to Firm

KeyBanc expects DRAM prices to increase 15% to 20% in the third quarter, followed by another 15% rise in the fourth quarter. The firm also sees NAND prices advancing 30% to 40% in the third quarter. It said AI data center investment is the main driver of demand, while supply remains constrained.

Micron recently announced a $250 million investment fund for AI startups, underscoring its focus on the artificial intelligence sector.

Wall Street currently rates MU as a Strong Buy, with 29 Buy ratings and one Hold rating issued over the past three months. The average price target is $1,569.07, which implies more than 61% upside from current levels.

The open questions now are whether U.S. companies formalize sourcing shifts away from Chinese memory suppliers, how the licensing process for dealings with CXMT unfolds, and whether memory contract prices track the increases analysts currently project.

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