U.S. stocks are trading higher this afternoon, with the Dow eyeing its fifth straight record close. Among the names in the spotlight today are tech stock Ubiquiti Networks Inc (NASDAQ:UBNT), semiconductor stock Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT), and telehealth company Teladoc Inc (NYSE:TDOC). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of UBNT, AMAT, and TDOC.

Citron Research: Ubiquiti CEO Reminds Us of Madoff

Ubiquiti Networks stock is down 6.9% to trade at $51.15, after Citron Research called the company a "total fraud," with allusions to Valeant Pharmaceuticals and Enron. The Citron report takes aim at CEO Robert Pera ("one name comes to mind -- MADOFF") and Ubiquiti's operating metrics, and warns that "it is only time [sic]  before the SEC launches the formal investigation and Ubiquiti will go down in infamy amongst the many other Wall Street Frauds." As a result, UBNT shares touched $47.78 earlier -- their lowest level since June 1 -- and landed on the short-sale restricted list.

The tech stock touched a record high of $67.80 in early August, thanks to a big bull gap. Since then, however, UBNT shares have lost nearly a quarter of their value. Even before the Citron allegations, traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have been upping the bearish ante of late. UBNT's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 10.12 ranks just 3 percentage points from an annual high. In other words, options players have bought more than 10 UBNT puts for every UBNT call in the past two weeks.

AMAT Hits 17-Year High After RBC Upgrade

Moving in the opposite direction are shares of Applied Materials stock, last seen trading 2.8% higher at $48.46. The semiconductor stock is up after RBC upgraded AMAT to "outperform" from "sector perform," and raised its price target to $55 from $48, citing optimism for the company's wafer front-end business. The upbeat analyst attention -- not to mention some sector tailwinds -- sent AMAT shares to a 17-year high of $48.53 earlier, continuing the stock's longer-term uptrend. Of the 14 analysts following AMAT, 11 recommend buying the shares.

Baird Cuts Teladoc Stock Rating But 'Remains Very Bullish'

Among the worst stocks on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) today is Teladoc, last seen down 7% to trade at $33.45. The telehealth stock is reeling after Baird cut its rating to "neutral" from "outperform," citing the company's valuation sustainability. The brokerage firm, however, stated it "remains very bullish with respect to the company's strategy and long-term growth potential."

The majority of analysts following TDOC are bullish, in fact, with 11 "strong buy" ratings, two lukewarm "holds," and not a single "sell" recommendation. This isn't too surprising, though, as the stock has more than doubled since January, reaching a record high of $37.50 on Thursday.

Shorts are likely cheering today's decline, however, as short interest has grown 18.6% during the past two reporting periods, and now accounts for 28.6% of TDOC's total available float. At the equity's average daily trading volume, it would take more than four weeks to cover these shorted shares.  

U.S. stocks are eyeing a higher open ahead of today's Fed meeting. Among specific stocks in focus today are auto parts retailer AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE: AZO), cloud concern Synchronoss Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:SNCR), and credit agency Equifax Inc. (NYSE:EFX). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of AZO, SNCR, and EFX. 

AutoZone Bounces After Earnings

AutoZone stock is up 1.2% this morning at $570.50, thanks to the company's better-than-expected fiscal fourth-quarter earnings report. This is a change of pace for the shares, which have struggled over the past year, falling 23%. In fact, AZO hit a three-year low of $491.13 on July 20. This, and the fact the stock fell 11.8% after last quarter's report, likely explains why options traders were betting so bearishly ahead of the event. Specifically, the security has 10-day put/call volume ratio of 1.94 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), good enough to rank in the 94th annual percentile. 

SNCR Stock Sinks After Siris Ditches All-Cash Deal

Shares of Synchronoss Technologies have shed 33.4% this morning to trade at $11.16, following news Siris Capital is no longer exploring an all-cash takeover of the company. Today's price action puts the equity in a year-over-year hole of 59%, after it traded sideways for almost three months. In the meantime, most analysts have been taking a wait-and-see approach. That is, four out of five covering brokerage firms have issued just a "hold" rating for SNCR. 

News of Another Security Breach Hits Equifax Stock

Equifax stock is down another 2% this morning at $92.51, due to news the company experienced another security breach months before the more recent one that exposed the information of roughly 143 million Americans. With the company's CEO set to speak before Congress next month, analysts are slashing their outlooks on the shares. Just this morning, Deutsche Bank cut its price target to $115 from $160, and RBC lowered its price target to $113 from $154. As of last night's close, however, 10 of 14 covering brokerage firms still had "buy" or better ratings on the equity. EFX shares have given back almost 35% since the original data breach was announced. 

Analysts are weighing in on electric car company Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), as well as athletic apparel stocks Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) and Under Armour Inc (NYSE:UAA). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of TSLA, NKE, and UAA.

Jefferies Starts Tesla Stock at 'Underperform'

Tesla stock is down 0.9% to trade at $381.38, after Jefferies initiated coverage on the electric car name with an "underperform" rating and a $280 price target. The new target represents levels not seen from TSLA since late March, and is a roughly 26% discount to the stock's current price. Analyst Phillippe Houchois does not believe "Tesla's vertically integrated business model can be scaled up as profitably and quickly as consensus thinks and valuation multiples imply." In addition, the analyst -- echoing Barclays -- expects Tesla to lose money on a year-over-year basis through 2019.

TSLA shares are coming off a new record high of $389.61 yesterday, and have tacked on 78% year-to-date. Despite Tesla's recent success, the stock remains heavily shorted. The 29.24 million shares of TSLA sold short represent a whopping one-quarter of the stock's total available float. It would take over six days for shorts to fully cover their positions, at TSLA's average daily trading volume, making the electric car name ripe for a potential short squeeze.

Nike Stock Downgraded Amid Adidas Competition

Nike stock is down 1.6% to trade at $52.64, after Susquehanna cut its rating on the shoe giant to "neutral" from "positive," while also issuing a price-target cut to $54 from $64. Raymond James and Jefferies joined in on the fun as well, issuing price-target cuts to $67 and $49, respectively -- the latter of which would mark a two-year low for NKE shares -- and trimming their per-share earnings estimates for the blue chip The flurry of activity comes from intensifying sneaker sale competition, particularly from rival Adidas.

NKE stock gapped higher in late June, thanks to a well-received earnings report, but has since filled that gap amid an athleisure sector swoon. NKE options traders have had a a healthier-than-usual appetite for puts over calls lately. The equity's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 0.97 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) ranks just 5 percentage points from an annual high.

Analyst Trims Under Armour Price Target

UAA stock is down 1.6% to trade at $17.17, after Wells Fargo downgraded the apparel stock to "underperform" from "market perform," and issued a price-target cut to $13 from $17. The new price target would represent a four-year low for the equity.

UAA stock has shed 40% year-to-date, and fell as low as $15.93 on Sept. 1 -- territory not charted since 2013. Most analysts are already bearish on Under Armour stock. Of the 34 brokerages covering UAA 29 rate the shares a "hold" or "strong sell." 

Analysts are weighing in on technology powerhouse Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), chip stock Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), and luxury retailer Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (NYSE:KORS). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of AAPL, MU, and KORS.

Morgan Stanley Lifts AAPL Target Amid iPhone X Hype

Morgan Stanley raised its price target on Apple stock to $194 from $182, while backing an "overweight" rating. This bullish note comes just before the company's highly anticipated iPhone 8 and iPhone X are expected to be released. The Dow stock was last seen trading fractionally lower at $158.53, but sporting a year-to-date gain of almost 37%. The new price target from Morgan Stanley stands about 18% north of AAPL's current all-time high of $164.94, set back on Sept. 1.

Analysts following AAPL are broadly optimistic, with 25 of 32 carrying "buy" or "strong buy" recommendations. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the stock's 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.26 ranks in the 84th percentile of its annual range, suggesting options traders are favoring bullish bets over bearish by a wider-than-usual margin.

Price-Target Hike Carries Micron to New Highs

Susquehanna raised its price target on MU stock to $50 from $40 this morning, shortly after a Reuters report showed Nanya Technology unloading its 1.8 million share stake in MU for $64.4 million. At last glance, MU is trading up 1.1% at $35.82 -- and earlier set a new two-year high of $35.97. Year-over-year, the semiconductor stock is up an impressive 112%, and of the 15 analysts following the stock, 14 hold confident "buy" or "strong buy" recommendations.

KORS Soars on Upgrade to "Outperform"

Oppenheimer upgraded KORS to "outperform" from "perform" before today's open, along with a price-target raise to $55 from $44. The luxury retailer was last seen trading up 4.2% at $46.52, in new year-to-date high territory. In early August, the stock staged a massive post-earnings bull gap, ending a roughly six-month stretch of choppy, sideways-to-lower price action. After that pop, KORS consolidated some gains, but has bounced again in recent sessions since meeting up with its rising 30-day moving average.

Short interest has increased nearly 24% over the past two reporting periods for KORS, and now accounts for more than 6% of the stock's available float. The stock's ability to hold up in the face of this increased selling pressure points to strong pent-up demand for the luxury retailer's shares.

U.S. stocks are trading higher this afternoon, with the Dow set to extend its winning streak to eight sessions -- the longest since early August. Among the names in the spotlight today are telecom stock Sprint Corp (NYSE:S), electronics retailer Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY), and clothing company Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of S, BBY, and GPS.

Sprint Stock Soars on Talk of T-Mobile Merger

Sprint stock is up 9.2% to trade at $8.39, amid reports the telecom is in active merger talks with T-Mobile. Sprint is no stranger to M&A chatter, though; not long ago, Charter Communications said it had "no interest" in a merger with Sprint.

Today's jump ranks Sprint as the second-most active stock by volume, and as the second-best percentage gainer on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). S shares are flirting with their year-to-date breakeven level -- down only 0.6% in 2017 -- and are pacing to close above their 160-day moving average for the first time in a month.

Options traders on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have been more bullish than usual toward Sprint stock of late. S sports a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 14.43 -- just 2 percentage points from an annual high. In other words, near-term option players have bought more than 14 times as many S calls for every S put in the past two weeks.

Best Buy Stock Glitches on Lackluster Guidance

Among the worst stocks on the NYSE today is Best Buy stock, last seen down 7.3% to trade at $53.17, after the company reported lackluster guidance for fiscal 2021. In addition, CEO Hubert Joly warned that the company's solid second quarter may not translate into a strong holiday quarter. BBY stock reached a record high of $63.32 on Aug. 24, but is now attempting to maintain a foothold atop its 160-day moving average. Still, BBY is up roughly 39% year-over-year.,

Short interest represents 11.5% of the stock's total available float. At BBY's average daily trading volume, it would take more than four days to cover these shorted shares -- plenty of fuel for a short squeeze, should the shares resume their longer-term uptrend. BBY, however, is on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list today.

Bullish Analyst Notes Give Gap Stock a Lift

While September is a historically tough trading month for Gap stock, GPS shares are inching their way higher today, last seen up 0.4% at $27.99 -- and fresh off a year-to-date high of $28.50 -- thanks to a round of bullish analyst notes. This morning, Credit Suisse upgraded the clothing retail stock to "neutral" from "outperform," and raised its price target to $30 from $23. Telsey Advisory Group also raised its price target on GPS to $31 from $27 -- territory not charted in almost two years.

Contrary to the data, Gap stock has performed quite well this month, tacking on 18.3%. However, only three of the 15 analysts following Gap stock recommend buying the stock. Additional upgrades could propel GPS shares even higher.

Stocks are searching for direction out of the gate this morning ahead of the Fed's afternoon policy announcement. Among specific stocks in focus today are e-commerce giant Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), delivery concern FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX), and biopharmaceutical company Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALNY). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of AMZN, FDX, and ALNY. 

AMZN Stock Looks to Rise on Smart Glasses Buzz

Amazon is working on a pair of "smart glasses," according to a report from the Financial Times. As such, the stock is up fractionally today to trade at $971.20. While this is far removed from the shares' record high of $1,083.31, from July 27, they recently bounced from the $939.51 level, which corresponds to a 23.6% Fibonacci retracement of their 2016 low and 2017 peak. This level contained AMZN's June pullback, before the equity rallied to record highs. 

Analysts certainly have high hopes. Most notably, Amazon has an average 12-month price target of $1,147.28 -- representing 18.1% upside from the shares' current perch. 

Weak Profits Ding FedEx Stock

Shares of FedEx are up 1% this morning at $218.16, even after the company announced lower-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings. Raymond James responded by raising its price target to $232 from $228, in record-high territory. Plus, FDX stock remains 17.5% higher on a year-over-year basis. This could explain why analysts are so bullish -- unlike options traders. As it stands now, 12 of 16 covering brokerage firms say to buy the equity. 

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Hits Fresh Highs After Drug Trial

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals has exploded 33% out of the gate to trade at $99.75 -- and touched a 52-week high of $100 earlier -- after the company's genetic disease treatment, patisiran, met its goals in a late-stage study. The shares now boast a year-to-date lead of 166%, and more upside could be in store if short sellers continue to cover their positions. These bearish bets declined by 6.5% during the two most recent reporting periods, but 11.6% of ALNY's float is still dedicated to short interest. 

Analysts are weighing in on retailers L Brands Inc (NYSE:LB) and Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBY), as well as Dow stock 3M Co (NYSE:MMM). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of LB, BBBY, and MMM.

Cowen Downgrades L Brands on Competition Worries

L Brands stock is down 5.1% to trade at $37.22, after Cowen and Company downgraded the retailer to "market perform" from "outperform," while also issuing a price-target cut to $39 from $40. The analyst cited "fundamental new competition in the sport bra market" as a reason for the lowered rating. Barclays also chimed in on LB, initiating coverage with an "equal weight" rating and $41 price target.

Today's negative price action is more of the same, considering LB shares have shed 48% year-over-year and fell to a nearly six-year low of $35 on Aug. 17 following a dismal earnings report. Any attempts at a rally since then have been contained by the shares' 50-day moving average.

However, there are still some remaining bullish holdouts among the analyst bunch. At last night's close, eight of the 23 brokerages covering LB stock rated it a "buy" or "strong buy." This indicates that there is room for further downgrades, should the retail stock continue to struggle.

Weak Earnings Result In A Slew Of PT Cuts for BBBY Stock

Bed Bath & Beyond released its second-quarter earnings after the close yesterday, reporting a decrease in same-store sales and lowered guidance for the year, as well as earnings that missed the consensus estimate. As a result, no fewer than six brokerages issued price-target cuts, including one to $21 from $27 at KeyBanc. BBBY stock is currently down 15.2% to trade at $22.92 -- earlier hitting a a new eight-year low of $22.41 -- bringing its year-to-date deficit to 43.6%. 

Short sellers have likely had a hand in this downside, too. Short interest on BBBY is up 66% since early April to 18.09 million shares. Although the stock is short-sale restricted today, a continued surge in short selling could create more headwinds for BBBY shares.

3M Stock Downgraded After Record High

3M shares are down 1.4%  to trade at $210.66, after J.P. Morgan Securities downgraded the Dow stock to "underweight" from "neutral," citing valuation concerns that create "a negative skew on the risk reward." And while the brokerage firm raised its price target to $201 from $185, this still represents a discount to current levels.

Heading into today's trading, MMM shares were up nearly 20% year-to-date, and topped out at a record high of $214.65 yesterday along with the Dow. As such, the stock's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) closed last night at 70 -- in "overbought" territory, suggesting a short-term breather may have been in the cards.

Analysts are weighing in on Dow drug stock Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), software giant Adobe Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:ADBE), and sports retailer Hibbett Sports, Inc. (NASDAQ:HIBB). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of PFE, ADBE, and HIBB.

Morgan Stanley Shares Optimistic Outlook for PFE Stock

Pfizer received an upgrade to "overweight" from "equal weight" at Morgan Stanley, as well as a price-target boost to $39 from $35. In a note to clients, the brokerage firm noted PFE's appealing valuation and expressed high hopes for its Ibrance breast cancer drug, as well as possible U.S. tax benefits. Separately, PFE today filed suit against fellow Dow component Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, with PFE accusing JNJ of exclusionary contracts and anti-competitive practices.

PFE is up 1.2% at $35.87, and earlier hit a new annual high of $36.21 -- and options players see more upside ahead. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), PFE's 10-day call/put volume ratio of 3.45 ranks in the 88th percentile of its annual range, suggesting options traders are favoring bullish bets over bearish by a wider-than-usual margin.

ADBE Sinks Despite Price-Target Hikes

Following a third-quarter earnings report that topped analysts' forecasts, ADBE has received no fewer than six price-target hikes this morning. The loftiest new target comes courtesy of Jefferies, with a raise to $180 from $175. An impressive 16 of the 20 analysts following the marketing software stock carry "buy" or "strong buy" recommendations.

Despite the earnings beat, however, ADBE is down 4.5% at $149.63, as traders appear disappointed with the company's in-line fourth-quarter revenue forecast. The shares are now trading below support at their 10-week moving average, which hasn't been breached on a weekly closing basis since December.

HIBB Stock Gets Upgraded to "Positive"

Susquehanna upgraded HIBB to "positive" from "neutral," and raised its price target to $17 from $11, with the brokerage firm citing expectations for strong post-hurricane demand. Following this bullish nod, HIBB is trading up 3.4% at $13.60, with the struggling athletic retailer mounting another challenge of recent resistance around the $14 level.  

A constant onslaught of short selling hasn't helped HIBB's case, as the stock tries to snap out of its lengthy downtrend. Short interest ramped up by nearly 21% over the past two reporting periods, and now accounts for a hefty 22.4% of the equity's float.

U.S. stocks are trading lower this afternoon, as Apple keeps the Dow in check and traders digest the Federal Reserve's plan to reduce its massive balance sheet. Among the names in the spotlight today are pharmaceutical stocks DelMar Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:DMPI), Arbutus Biopharma Corp (NASDAQ:ABUS), and Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:IONS). Here's a quick look at what is moving shares of DMPI, ABUS, and IONS.

Pharmaceutical Penny Stock Soars on New Drug Patent

Delmar Pharmaceuticals stock has skyrocketed 83.2% to trade at $2.05 -- pacing for its best day in more than four years -- after the drugmaker secured a U.S. patent for its cancer treatment, VAL-083. Earlier, DMPI shares touched $2.29, more than doubling yesterday's close of $1.11. From a longer-term standpoint, DMPI has struggled in 2017, losing 35.4% since the start of the year, and hitting a record low of $1.05 yesterday.

Despite its poor performance, 75% of the analysts following the stock rate it a "strong buy," and not one brokerage firm suggests selling DMPI. Today's spike ranks DMPI stock as the top percentage gainer on the Nasdaq, with the shares now pacing for their first close above their 80-day moving average since April. 

Alynlam Drug Study Sends Arbutus Stock to 2-Year High

Also climbing the charts and ranking among the top stocks on the Nasdaq today is Arbutus Biophama stock, last seen 36.9% higher at $7.60, after touching a two-year high of $7.85 earlier. ABUS is higher thanks to Alnylam Pharmaceuticals' upbeat drug results for its genetic disease treatment, patisiran, which uses Arbutus' lipid nanoparticle technology. As a lipid nanoparticle (LPN) licensee, Alnylam could have to pay Arbutus between $800 million and $1 billion in milestone payments if the drug is approved by regulators, according to William Blair analysts.

Since hitting a four-year low of $2.35 on Jan. 24, ABUS shares have  more than tripled in value. A short squeeze could help the stock climb even higher, as short interest accounts for nearly a week's worth of pent-up buying demand, at the stock's average daily trading volume. ABUS stock, however, is on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list today.

Ionis Stock Tanks on Alnylam Drug Study News

Joining ABUS on the SSR list today is Ionis Pharmaceuticals stock, which is also reacting to Alnylam's positive drug study. IONS stock, however, is moving in the opposite direction, last seen trading 9.4% lower at $53.52. The biotech company reported positive late-stage study results for a competing drug earlier this year, but news of adverse side effects sent its shares lower.

Shorts are likely cheering today's decline, as short interest represents 9.4% of IONS stock's total available float. At the equity's average daily trading volume, it would take more than two weeks to cover these shorted shares. From a longer-term perspective, though Ionis stock has been in a channel of higher highs and lows since mid-2016, and just yesterday was in striking distance of its July 25 annual high of $60.01.

U.S. stocks are signaling a lower open after yesterday's Fed decision. Among specific stocks in focus today are semiconductor stock Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), biotech BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX), and Google parent Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL). Here's a closer look at what's moving shares of AMD, BCRX, and GOOGL. 

Tesla Partnership has AMD Pointed Higher

AMD stock is up 2.3% in electronic trading, thanks to news the company is partnering with Tesla to help the electric car manufacturer develop its own chip for self-driving cars. Advanced Micro Devices settled at $13.74 yesterday, up from $6.37 at this time last year, and has enjoyed strong support from its 200-day moving average since early May. 

Despite this, many analysts have been hesitant to embrace the equity. For instance, more than half the brokerage firms covering the shares rate them a "hold" or "strong sell." Extended upside from AMD could result in bullish attention from this group. 

BCRX Stock Jumps on Flu Drug Approval

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals is trading 7.2% higher before the open, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its flu drug, Rapivab, for pediatric use. At $5.27, BCRX is slightly higher on a year-over-year basis, but is far removed from its 52-week high of $9.25.

The shares have been heavily targeted by short sellers, with more than three weeks' worth of buying power controlled by these bears, based on average daily trading volumes. But options traders have also been bearish, with BioCryst Pharmaceuticals' 10-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) coming in at 1.16, which ranks in the 91st annual percentile. 

Google Drops $1.1B on HTC Mobile Unit

Google has announced it's buying part of HTC's mobile business for just over $1 billion, news that has shares of Alphabet edging higher in pre-market action. The security settled at $947.54 yesterday, up 19.6% year-to-date, but once again topped out just below its 50-day moving average. 

Some speculators seem to be expecting more upside from the shares, though. Specifically, call volume ran at nearly two times the expected pace yesterday, and it looks like some traders were buying to open the weekly 9/22 950-strike call. If so, they're expecting an extended run higher for the stock by tomorrow's close, when the contracts expire. 

Analysts are weighing in on pharma stock Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB), toymaker JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK), and packaged foods concern General Mills, Inc. (NYSE:GIS). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of BIIB, JAKK, and GIS.

Raymond James Downgrades Biogen Amid Drug Competition

Biogen stock is down 0.8% to trade at $315.83, after Raymond James downgraded the pharmaceutical issue to "market perform" from "strong buy." The brokerage cited competition from Roche's new drug as the primary reason for the downgrade. BIIB stock has added 22% year-to-date, and broke out towards the end of August, pushing past a long-term resistance level to touch a two-year high of $330 last Wednesday. However, analyst sentiment is evenly skewed toward the drug stock. Of the 18 brokerages that cover BIIB, nine rate it a "strong buy," while the other nine rate it a "hold."

Toys 'R' Us Bankruptcy Prompts Downgrade To JAKK Stock

JAKK stock is down 7.1% to trade at $2.93, after D.A. Davidson downgraded the toymaker to "underperform" from "neutral," while also cutting its price target to $2.25 from $3.75. The downgrade comes after Toys R Us filed for bankruptcy earlier this week, which weighed on other toy stocks. JAKK stock has shed 66% year-over-year, and fell to a record low $2.68 on Monday.

The shares could come under more pressure going forward, if analysts continue to trim their outlooks. As it stands now, the equity has an average 12-month price target of $4.15, representing 42% upside to current levels. Don't be surprise if additional price-target cuts come through on JAKKS Pacific. 

General Mills Stock Receives Two More Earnings-Induced Price-Target Cuts

General Mills gapped lower yesterday after the company reported worse-than-expected fiscal first-quarter earnings and lackluster sales. As such, GIS stock received two price-target cuts this morning to $58 and $57, from RBC and BMO, respectively.  The security, which is currently down 0.6% to trade at $51.84, fell to a two-year low of $50.40 yesterday, and has shed over 20% year-over-year.

In the options pits, traders have preferred puts over calls for some time now. GIS has a 50-day put/call volume ratio of 1.01 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which ranks 3 percentage points from a 52-week high. 

Analysts are weighing in on financial software company Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:INTU), automotive concern General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and semiconductor specialist Texas Instruments Incorporated (NASDAQ:TXN). Here's a quick roundup of today's bullish brokerage notes on shares of INTU, GM, and TXN.

Wells Fargo Sees New Highs for INTU Stock

Wells Fargo upgraded INTU stock to "outperform," and raised its price target to $163 from $110. The QuickBooks parent is trading up just 0.1% at $145.13 at last check, hovering below Tuesday's new record high of $146.04. Year-over-year, INTU has advanced 31%.

Options players are also optimistic. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), INTU carries a 50-day call/put volume ratio of 3.13, which ranks in the 82nd percentile of its annual range -- suggesting calls have been bought to open at a faster-than-usual clip relative to puts. 

GM Breaks Out After Bullish Nod from Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley raised its GM price target to $43 from $40 early this morning, and the stock is currently trading up 0.4% at $39.05. GM earlier touched an intraday peak of $39.24, marking its highest price since January 2014.

The automotive stock's breakout to new highs could spook some of the short sellers who have recently placed bets against GM. Short interest ramped up by 17.6% over the past two reporting periods, and the current accumulation of shorted shares represents six times GM's average daily trading volume.

TXN Extends 80-Day Bounce

BMO raised its price target on TXN to $105 from $92, sending the stock up 0.4% to $86.19. TXN shares are fresh off another successful test of their 80-day moving average, having tagged a 17-year high of $87.24 as recently as Tuesday. 

However, traders have been betting against the Apple supplier. Short interest ramped up by more than 11% over the past two reporting periods, with these bearish bets starting to accumulate again after dwindling to a multi-year low in mid-August.