FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - After the share price slump of the past few days, investors are once again sensing opportunities at Aixtron. This is in line with the assessment of the analyst firm Warburg, which upgraded the shares from "Hold" to "Buy" on Friday. The price target, which has been lowered to EUR 34.50, still gives Aixtron 29 percent upside potential.

In the late morning, the shares of the equipment manufacturer, which has a strong foothold in the chip industry, rose by around four percent to 26.73 euros. This initially halted a five-day losing streak. On Thursday alone, they had lost almost 19 percent and at times reached their lowest level in almost a year after the prospect of significantly slower growth in 2024 was announced.

Thanks to the stabilization, the shares were able to curb their annual loss to just under 31 percent. However, this still makes Aixtron one of the weakest stocks in the MDax. In December, the share price had reached its highest level since 2001 at just under 40 euros. In the longer term, investors can look back on five consecutive years of profits with a total share price increase of around 360%. The share price has even increased tenfold since the end of 2016.

For Warburg expert Malte Schaumann, the "somewhat weaker than expected outlook" for 2024, which was coupled with the news of a completed major project at customer AMS-Osram the previous day, is not a deal breaker. The expert pointed to the good prospects for 2025 with an expected increase in margins.

Schaumann played down the impact of the AMS news on the MicroLED business in his study. Little growth was expected from this in the short term anyway. According to Schaumann, the previous day's slide in the share price opens up a buying opportunity in view of a valuation at a historic low. He therefore reverted to a buy rating after his downgrade in December.

The analyst firm Alster Research also issued a buy recommendation on Friday. Analyst Oliver Wojahn wrote that the share was attractive again after the recent price correction. He praised the company's strong competitive position and promising long-term structural growth prospects./tih/gl/jha/