Market analysts on CNBC's 'Halftime Report Final Trades' named Micron Technology, Rocket Companies, iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF, and Apple Inc as their top picks, citing recent news and analyst actions as primary drivers. The selections come amid significant market movements for these stocks, influenced by regulatory developments and financial upgrades.

Jim Lebenthal, partner and chief market strategist at Cerity Partners, selected Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU). The stock declined almost 6% on Thursday following reports that a U.S. House Committee urged the Trump administration to ban Chinese memory chips, a move that could disrupt established supply chains for memory-related companies.

Malcolm Ethridge, managing partner at Capital Area Planning Group, chose Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE: RKT). This recommendation followed an upgrade by Morgan Stanley analyst Jeffrey Adelson, who raised the rating from Equal-Weight to Overweight and increased the price target from $18 to $19.

Janine Stichter recommended the iShares U.S. Healthcare ETF (NYSE: IYH). Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, picked Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL). Apple recently received regulatory approval from China’s cyberspace regulator for its on-device generative artificial intelligence service, Apple Intelligence.

Price Action

The following table details the stock price movements for the mentioned companies on Thursday:

Micron Technology Inc. has signed long-term agreements with Qualcomm Inc., Samsung Electronics-owned Harman, and several automotive suppliers to provide memory and storage components for AI-powered vehicles. The deals are intended to ensure stable supply and pricing as demand for AI-enabled features such as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and digital cockpits grows. These agreements are designed to support the shift toward increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled vehicles by providing greater visibility for optimized production planning and increased collaboration on future requirements.

Micron Chief Executive Officer Sanjay Mehrotra previously said the company had signed 16 strategic customer agreements and expects AI-driven growth to expand beyond data centers into smartphones, personal computers, automotive applications, and robotics. "The next phase of automotive innovation will depend on the strength of the ecosystem behind it," said Mehrotra. "As vehicles become increasingly intelligent, memory and storage are critical enablers of technology experiences that consumers demand."

The partnerships aim to balance longer product lifecycles with the faster adoption of advanced technology in the automotive segment. By establishing greater certainty around supply and pricing, the agreements support investments in the technology development, qualification, and manufacturing capacity required for future vehicle platforms. This strategic planning is critical for balancing traditionally longer product lifecycles and rigorous qualification standards with the faster adoption of advanced technology in the automotive segment.

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