NVIDIA (NVDA) Stock Closes at $180.25 on March 13 Amid Pre-GTC 2026 Anticipation

NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) shares closed at $180.25 on March 13, 2026, down $2.89 or 1.58% from the previous day’s close, as investors positioned ahead of the company’s flagship GPU Technology Conference (GTC 2026) starting March 16. The stock traded in a range of $179.94 to $186.09 on volume of approximately 160 million shares, reflecting typical volatility in the AI leader’s shares.

After-hours trading saw modest activity, with the price dipping slightly to $180.20, a 0.03% decline. The session marked a pullback from earlier March levels around $186, but NVDA remains up modestly year-to-date in 2026 after a strong fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report in late February.

NVIDIA’s latest quarterly results, released Feb. 25, showed record revenue of $68.1 billion for the period ended Jan. 25, up 20% sequentially and 73% year-over-year. Data Center revenue hit $62.3 billion, surging 22% from the prior quarter and 75% annually, driven by relentless demand for AI accelerators like the Blackwell platform. Full fiscal 2026 revenue reached $215.9 billion, a 65% increase from the previous year.

Earnings per share came in at $1.62 non-GAAP, beating estimates, with net income soaring amid high margins. The company returned $41.1 billion to shareholders through buybacks and dividends in fiscal 2026, underscoring confidence in its cash flow generation.

The stock’s recent dip follows a broader market rotation, but analysts remain bullish. Consensus ratings sit at “Buy,” with an average price target around $274, implying about 52% upside from current levels. Recent updates include Robert W. Baird raising its target to $300 with an “outperform” rating, while others like Morgan Stanley and UBS hold strong buy views with targets up to $400.

Attention now turns to GTC 2026, NVIDIA’s premier AI event running March 16-19 at the San Jose Convention Center. CEO Jensen Huang’s keynote on March 16 at 11 a.m. PT is expected to feature major announcements on new chips, inference platforms and the “fifth layer” of AI applications. Leaks suggest potential reveals for Arm-based chips powering Windows laptops and advancements in agentic AI, energy-efficient computing and Rubin architecture roadmaps.

Huang has teased “surprising” innovations, with focus on agentic AI, liquid-cooled systems and expanded ecosystem partnerships. The event draws developers, hyperscalers and industry leaders, often catalyzing stock moves — past GTCs have driven outperformance versus semiconductor indices.

Despite competition from AMD, Intel and emerging players like Groq, NVIDIA maintains roughly 90% share in AI accelerators. Concerns about hyperscaler capex sustainability and valuation linger, but forward P/E around 23 remains below sector averages, supporting arguments the stock is reasonably priced given growth prospects.

The company declared a $0.01 quarterly dividend payable April 1 to shareholders of record March 11. Institutional activity includes Temasek Holdings reducing its stake by 15.6% in Q3 2025, though NVIDIA remains a top holding.

As GTC approaches, trading could remain choppy. Analysts forecast accelerating revenue through calendar 2026 with Blackwell ramp-up and Rubin launches. The event offers potential catalysts for renewed momentum.

NVIDIA’s dominance in AI infrastructure continues to fuel its valuation, even after a multi-year rally. With the conference underway next week, investors watch closely for updates that could shape the next leg of the AI boom.