Top 10 Things to Watch Tuesday, February 17th 1. Stocks were poised to open lower for the start of the holiday-shortened trading week. The Nasdaq’s selloff is expected to be slightly worse than the S&P 500’s as concerns about disruption from artificial intelligence continue to weigh on technology stocks. Palo Alto Networks this morning announced plans to acquire Koi, an Israeli cybersecurity startup known for its agent endpoint security. The Palo Alto club is expected to discuss the deal in more detail during tonight’s post-earnings conference call. In his Sunday column, Jim Cramer tries to understand the winners and losers in the AI industry. In Monday’s bonus column, Jim talks about how the club is navigating what is shaping up to be a tough time for Nvidia. 2. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that activist Elliott Investment Management has acquired more than 10% of Norwegian Cruise Line in a plan to turn around the struggling cruise ship operator. Oceania Cruises’ owner’s shares rose more than 6%. 3. Melius upgraded Chevron from Hold to Buy and raised its price target from $162 to $205. Analysts believe the global energy company is well-positioned to increase shareholder returns, in part because Venezuela is a key driver of growth. 4. Host a club Apple invited members of the press to what it called a “special Apple experience” on March 4 in New York City, London, and Shanghai. The tech giant is rumored to be planning to unveil new products, which could include a lower-cost iPhone, faster iPad, and cheaper MacBook. 5. Netflix granted Warner Bros. a seven-day waiver to resume deal negotiations with Paramount Skydance. WBD has agreed to be acquired by Netflix. Paramount launched a hostile bid against WBD. The waiver gives Paramount the opportunity to make its “best and final offer.” Shares of WBD and Paramount rose more than 2% and 3%, respectively, on the news. Netflix rose slightly. 6. General Mills lowered its full-year adjusted earnings per share and organic net sales forecasts this morning ahead of its presentation at the Consumer Analyst Group (CAGNY) conference in New York. The stock price fell more than 3.5% on the news. 7. Citigroup was named a top pick by Morgan Stanley, with analysts raising their price target to an all-time high of $152. Citi will hold an Investor Day on May 7th. Morgan Stanley also upgraded Trust Financial from hold to buy and raised the stock’s PT from $56 to $69. 8. UBS upgraded Southwest Airlines to buy from hold. Analysts also raised their price target to $73 from $51, saying plans such as increased legroom, seat reservations and a charge for checked baggage could boost earnings. 9. Rothschild upgraded Dollar Tree from Hold to Buy and raised its price target from $75 to $165. Analysts said the retailer deserves a higher multiple following the Family Dollar sale. Rothschild downgraded Dollar General from hold to sell with a price target of $111. 10. Medtronic reported third quarter 2026 revenue and EPS growth. The medical device maker maintained its full-year outlook and reaffirmed that the outlook includes potential tariff impacts of approximately $185 million, unchanged from previous guidance. The stock price fell 3%. Sign up for free for my Top 10 Morning Thoughts on the Markets email newsletter (See here for a complete list of Jim Cramer Charitable Trust stocks.) As a subscriber to Jim Cramer’s CNBC Investment Club, you’ll receive trade alerts before Jim makes a trade. After Jim sends a trade alert, he waits 45 minutes before buying or selling stocks in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim talks about a stock on CNBC TV, he will issue a trade alert and then wait 72 hours before executing the trade. The above investment club information is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, along with our disclaimer. No fiduciary duties or obligations exist or arise from your receipt of information provided in connection with the Investment Club. No specific results or benefits are guaranteed.
