Traders Reveal Exactly How Much Micron Stock Could Move After Wednesday’s Earnings Report
Micron's earnings are about to drop—and the options market is already placing its bets on the volatility.
The Implied Move
Analysts and traders have priced in a specific percentage swing for Micron shares following the quarterly results. This isn't just speculation; it's a dollar-and-cents calculation baked into options premiums, reflecting collective expectations for post-earnings chaos—or calm.
Beyond the Headline Numbers
While revenue and EPS will grab headlines, the real story is in the guidance. Memory pricing, inventory cycles, and AI-driven demand for high-bandwidth memory (HBM) will dictate whether the stock meets, beats, or gets crushed by the Street's implied move. The market's pricing a binary outcome: a surge on strong AI narrative or a plunge on cyclical concerns.
The Trader's Dilemma
Playing earnings is a high-stakes game of anticipating the anticipation. The 'expected move' sets the stage, but the actual catalyst often comes from a nuanced comment on a conference call that the options models never saw coming—a classic case of finance trying to quantify the unquantifiable.
Key Takeaways
- Micron Technology's fiscal first-quarter results are due for release after the market closes Wednesday, with analysts expecting growing sales and profits.
- Options pricing suggests traders expect Micron's stock could move up to 9% in either direction by the end of the week.
Micron Technology is set to report earnings after the market closes Wednesday, with traders expecting a big MOVE in the memory chip maker's stock.
Options pricing suggests traders expect Micron (MU) shares could swing up to 9% in either direction by the end of the week. At the high end, a move of that size from Monday's close at $237.50 WOULD push the stock above $258, near its all-time high reached last week. At the low end, however, the stock could slip to roughly $217, where it was late last month.
Micron, which makes memory components for leading AI chipmakers such as Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), has seen its sales surge to new highs this year on strong demand for its memory chips. Its stock has nearly tripled in value in 2025, making it one of the best-performing stocks in the S&P 500 for the year so far.
Why This Matters for Investors
Micron, as a memory supplier for some of the biggest AI chipmakers, is seen as a leading "pick-and-shovel" play for the AI trade. A strong earnings print this week and market reaction to the results would underscore its status as one of the year's biggest winners of the AI boom.
Wall Street analysts expect Micron to report a 48% year-over-year jump in revenue to a record $12.93 billion, while adjusted earnings per share are projected to more than double to $3.96 for the first quarter of fiscal 2026, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.
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Ahead of the company's report, several analysts offered bullish commentary and lifted their price targets for the stock, expecting growing AI demand, a tightening memory market, and stronger pricing to support higher profits for Micron. Earlier this month, Micron said it plans to exit the consumer memory products market after February 2026 in order to concentrate on more profitable AI-focused products.
Among the 11 analysts with current ratings tracked by Visible Alpha, nine call the stock a "buy," compared to two "hold" ratings. Their mean target NEAR $249 would suggest about 5% upside from Monday's close.