AMD stock upgrade as Nvidia CEO resigns: William Blair moves AMD to Outperform and the shares close 5.9% higher
The upgrade landed on the first trading session after Nvidia said Huang was leaving the company, with longtime chief financial officer Colette Kress stepping in as interim CEO, according to Motley Fool's midday market coverage. Our earlier report on the resignation covers the board process and what prediction markets price for who runs Nvidia next. Thursday's trading added a second story: money rotating within AI semiconductors rather than leaving the group.
What the market is pricing
Stock prices below are the last trades reported by Twelve Data, read at 20:59 UTC on November 12, 2026, right around the 4 p.m. ET close. Percent changes are against Wednesday's close.
| Stock | Last | Change | Session range |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMD | $585.69 | +5.93% | $555.00 to $594.00 |
| Broadcom (AVGO) | $364.34 | +5.54% | $354.88 to $369.80 |
| Nvidia (NVDA) | $166.27 | -4.29% | $148.80 to $167.14 |
Two numbers stand out. Nvidia opened at $150.99, about 13.1% below Wednesday's $173.73 close, then climbed more than 11% from its low of $148.80 to finish down only 4.3%. AMD opened at $569.26, up about 3%, and kept building through the day. The combined picture is a sector that sold its leader hard at the open and then bought it back, while two rivals finished well in the green. AMD remains below its 52-week high of $658.52.
What William Blair said
According to a Stocktwits report carried on TradingView, the firm wrote that the risk/reward has shifted in AMD's favor and that the stock has room to rise as Nvidia faces scrutiny and a leadership vacuum. The note is not only about Nvidia's turmoil. William Blair expects AMD's data-center AI revenue to surpass its server CPU business in the fourth quarter and sees the potential for more than 80% revenue growth next year. The same report noted that Bank of America raised its AMD price target to $700 from $650 and kept a Buy rating. William Blair did not attach a price target, which is common for the firm, so the upgrade is a change in stance rather than a dollar call.
Why a CEO exit matters to chip buyers
Hyperscalers and AI labs sign multi-year supply commitments, and a sudden change at the top of the dominant supplier is the kind of event that makes procurement teams ask about second sources. That is the argument behind the upgrade: not that Nvidia's products changed overnight, but that the bar for a customer to diversify may have dropped. Whether that shows up in orders is something only future quarterly reports can answer. For now the evidence is price action, and Thursday's action was consistent with investors leaning toward that view while keeping most of their Nvidia exposure: the stock recovered most of its opening drop. Nvidia's upcoming earnings report will be the first chance to hear management, under an interim CEO, address demand directly.
What to watch next
Three things. First, any statement from Nvidia's board on a CEO search or timeline, which our live coverage tracks alongside the Polymarket next-CEO market. Second, Nvidia's earnings call, where guidance and any comment on customer commitments will matter more than usual. Third, whether other analysts follow William Blair. A single upgrade moves a stock for a day; a series of estimate changes moves it for a quarter. Rates also matter for the whole group: prediction markets now lean toward another Fed hike in January, which is tracked on our Fed rate decision odds page.
Method and limits
Share prices are the last trades reported by Twelve Data for the Nasdaq listings, read at 20:59 UTC on November 12, 2026, and may differ slightly from official closing auction prices. Analyst views come from published reports of the William Blair note; we did not see the note itself. Details of Huang's departure come from Motley Fool and Yahoo Finance. Nothing here is a forecast by BetG8 or a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
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Frequently asked questions
Why did William Blair upgrade AMD?
The firm said the risk/reward has shifted in AMD's favor as Nvidia faces scrutiny and a leadership vacuum, and it expects AMD's data-center AI revenue to overtake its server CPU business in the fourth quarter.
How much did AMD stock rise on November 12, 2026?
AMD's last trade at 20:59 UTC was $585.69, up 5.93% from the prior close of $552.90, with a session high of $594.00.
Who is running Nvidia after Jensen Huang resigned?
Chief financial officer Colette Kress is interim CEO, according to Motley Fool's coverage. The board has not named a permanent successor.
Sources
- TradingView (Stocktwits), AMD has opportunity as NVDA faces scrutiny, William Blair says
- Motley Fool, Stock market midday, Nov 12: Nvidia CEO resigns, AMD surges
- Benzinga, AMD stock scores upgrade as main rival Nvidia spirals
- Yahoo Finance, AMD, Broadcom stocks jump as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns
- Twelve Data, AMD, NVDA and AVGO quotes, read 20:59 UTC, November 12, 2026
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