Analyst Downgrades: Akorn, Inc., Mylan NV, and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd

Analysts downwardly revised their ratings and price targets on Akorn, Inc. (AKRX), Mylan NV (MYL), and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR) (TEVA)

Oct 4, 2016 at 9:38 AM

Analysts are weighing in on pharmaceutical stocks Akorn, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKRX), Mylan NV (NASDAQ:MYL), and Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:TEVA). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on AKRX, MYL, and TEVA.

AKRX is off 0.6% at $27.31, after J.P. Morgan Securities trimmed its price target to $42 from $45 -- still in annual-high territory. Overall, it's been a rough year for the stock, down roughly 27%, and short sellers are counting on extended losses. During the most recent reporting period, short interest on Akorn, Inc. popped 10.3%, and now accounts for 12.2% of its float. At AKRX's average daily volume, it would take seven sessions to cover these bearish bets.

J.P. Morgan Securities also weighed in bearishly on MYL, slashing its price target by $10 to $52. Out of the gate, though, the shares haven't budged, last seen at $38.20. Of course, Mylan NV has been facing fire for being a so-called "bad corporate actor," pressuring the shares to an annual low of $37.41 yesterday. Meanwhile, today's bearish note is just the latest show of skepticism from Wall Street, where price-target reductions have become a trend.

Another drugmaker J.P. Morgan Securities hit earlier was TEVA, slapping the shares with a price-target cut to $65 from $75. This, after the stock notched a two-year low of $45.44 on Monday. In early trading, however, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd is 0.5% higher at $45.91. If options traders have their druthers, the shares will mount a sustained comeback. Specifically, at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), speculators over the last two weeks have bought to open 5.04 calls for every put -- a ratio registering in the bullishly skewed 84th annual percentile. Then again, if a rebound fails to materialize, a capitulation among this optimistic crowd -- or an about-face from bullish analysts -- could exacerbate losses.

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