The shares of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ: WBA) are up 5.5% to trade at $37.89 this morning, after the company reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings and revenue  that beat analysts' expectations. Additionally, the blue chip announced a 2.2% dividend increase.

The past three months have been especially brutal for the equity. In that time, it's down 11.7%, and hasn't managed a close above $37.50 since late August. To put it in perspective, the last time WBA consistently traded below that level was at the end of 2012. Additionally, the last three months have seen consistent pressure in the form of the stock's 60-day moving average. Longer term, Walgreens stock has shed 39.1% in 2020.  

Switching gears, today's options pits are seeing activity on both sides of the tape. In just the first hour of trading, over 12,000 calls and 9,123 puts have exchanged hands -- seven times the intraday average and option volume pacing in the highest percentile of its annual range. The October 38 put is the most popular, followed up by the 40-strike call from the same series. 

Additionally, short interest is up 5.4% in the past reporting period, and now accounts for roughly 20.01 million shares, or 2.2% of the stock's total available float. Options traders are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations at the moment, too, per the stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 44%, which sits higher than just 27% of all other annual readings.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a U.S.-based telecommunications conglomerate with operations in multiple countries. The company has over a century of history. It's also the parent company of other major corporations including WarnerMedia and DirecTV. At the beginning of 2020, T stock traded near its 52-week high of $39.70, but T stock is currently down about 30% year-to-date. T stock remains near its 52-week low of $26.08 since its decline in March. AT&T is slated to deliver earnings before-the-open on Thursday, October 22 and the company will be looking to push T stock back up to its pre-pandemic highs.

AT&T has a market cap of $197.72 billion and a book value of $24.69 per share. Its price-to-book (PB) ratio stands at 1.15. The company has a trailing price-earning (P/E) ratio of 17.27, and a forward P/E ratio of 8.86. The company's trailing 12-month P/E ratio is 16.92.

AT&T has beat expectations in three of its last four earnings reports.  In the most recent quarter, AT&T beat expectations by $0.04. The company reported an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.83, just beating out the expected $0.79. On October 22, AT&T is expected to report an EPS of $0.76. continuing the downward earnings spiral the company has been experiencing recently. If AT&T reports the expected EPS of $0.76 for the third quarter, it would represent an $0.18 decrease year-over-year, as AT&T reported an EPS of $0.94 in the third quarter of 2019. In the first quarter of 2020, AT&T missed earning by just $0.01. The company has a trailing 12-month EPS of $1.64.

AT&T grew its revenue more than $10 billion between 2017 and 2019. In 2020, AT&T has experienced a decrease in revenue. First quarter earnings alone decreased by $4 billion, and another $2 billion in the second quarter of this year. The company’s net income growth has been largely inconsistent over last 4 years. Nonetheless, AT&T has maintained their annual net income above the $10 billion on a reasonably consistent bases. In 2017 and 2018, the company produced net income of $29.45 billion and $19.37 billion, respectively.

AT&T currently has $17 billion in cash and $196.22 billion in total debt. The company’s balance sheet holds $547.9 billion in total assets and $354.45 billion in total liabilities. AT&T's total equity stands at $1.54 billion. The company has paid its investors dividends consistently since 1984, and have consistently grown their dividend since 1999. AT&T last paid a dividend of $0.52 per share. The $2.08 annual dividend AT&T pays comes in at a dividend yield of 7.39%.

At this point, AT&T doesn’t have much room to grow revenue-wise, but it does have room to increase its stock price. T stock currently trades at a price that is only $3.06 lower than its book value. The recent dip will be a huge opportunity for dividend investors to pick up the stock at a discounted price.

Furthermore, as one would have been expect from a massive and consolidated company like AT&T, the company has maintained its high-yield dividend during the ongoing worldwide pandemic. The company could continue raising its dividend for years to come, too. T stock has an opportunity to see decent price appreciation as the stock slowly climbs back to a more justifiable valuation. Overall, it's natural to feel that AT&T seems to be too big to fail. The biggest potential risk for investors will that AT&T gets broken up due to monopoly-like practices. Aside from that, AT&T is a clear winner for dividend investors.

With investors already feeling beaten down around the subject of a second stimulus, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced yesterday that, although progress between Democrats and Republicans is being made, he did not expect a stimulus package before the election. The result of that announcement plus some dismal earnings reactions from banking giants? All major indexes ended in the red on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 28,514) lost 165.8 points. The S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,488.67) fell 23.3 points yesterday, while the Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 11,768.73) shed 95.2 points during Wednesday's trading session.

Yesterday was truly packed with action and we wouldn't blame you if you missed a few things. That's why we have rounded up the must-reads from yesterday, complete with actionable trading insights:

• Why this retail stock is poised to conquer fresh 2-year highs
• This signal says do NOT sweat the Tesla stock pullback
• Is it time for a speculative play on this retail clothing stock?
• This pharma stock's COVID-19 vaccine trials are also on pause now
• After announcing a new CFO, this retail stock is finally on the rise
• This car stock accelerated higher after receiving analyst praise
• After brushing off analyst warnings, this telehealth stock eyed a record close
• This software stock's impressive climb shows no signs of slowing down
• Breaking down the Coppock Curve Indicator with Schaeffer's

Today, October 15, will be a busy day with the producer price index (PPI) on top along with a whole slew of earnings reports from big names. For your convenience, we have rounded up the companies slated to release their earnings today, October 15:

• Aphria, Inc. (NASDAQ:APHA -- $5.88) cultivates, processes, produces, markets, distributes, and sells medical cannabis. We shared Aphria's latest news on their first certified European shipment of dried flower last week, along with a ton of other cannabis stock news.
  • Aphria will report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• The Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:SCHW -- $37.12) provides wealth management, securities brokerage, banking, asset management, custody, and financial advisory services.
  • Charles Schwab will report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Commercial Metals Company (NYSE:CMC -- $22.93) manufactures, recycles, and markets steel and metal products, and related materials and services. CMC is currently down 8.1% year-over-year.
  • Commercial Metals will report its third-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Home Bancshares, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOMB -- $16.49) operates as the bank holding company for Centennial Bank that provides commercial and retail banking, and related financial services.
  • Home Bancshares will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS -- $50.65) provides various financial products and services to corporations, governments, financial institutions, and individuals. Amid news that Morgan Stanley is set to buy industry giant Eaton Vance (NYSE:EV), MS stock took a dip last week.
  • Morgan Stanley will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (NYSE:TSM -- $88.60) manufactures and sells integrated circuits and semiconductors. TSM has gone up 21.6% year-to-date. We took a look behind the scenes at Taiwan Semi earlier last quarter.
  • Taiwan Semi will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Truist Financial Corporation (NYSE:TFC -- $42.23) provides banking and trust services in the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic United States. TFC has increased by a whopping 85.1% year-over-year.
  • Truist Financial will report its third-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ:WBA -- $35.91) operates as a pharmacy-led health and wellbeing company. Here is a closer look at Walgreens' fundamentals set up for a long-term investment option.
  • Walgreens will report its third-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• WNS (Holdings) Limited (NYSE:WNS -- $67.87) provides data, voice, analytical, and business transformation services worldwide. WNS has dropped 2.9% year-to-date.
  • WNS will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell today.
    
• Westamerica Bancorporation (NASDAQ:WABC -- $54.87) operates as a bank holding company that provides various banking products and services.
  • Westamerica Banc will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings during the trading hours today.
    
• Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (NASDAQ:ISRG -- $751.08) designs, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems, and related instruments and accessories.
  • Intuitive Surgical will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market closes today.
    
• Marten Transport, Ltd. (NASDAQ:MRTN -- $17.21) operates as a temperature-sensitive truckload carrier for shippers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
  • Marten Transport will report its fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

Again, for your convenience, we have rounded up how the banking-dominated earnings docket played out for all those released yesterday, October 14:

• ASML Holding N.V. (NASDAQ:ASML) develops, produces, markets, sells, and services advanced semiconductor equipment systems. ASML is 32.6% higher year-over-year. ASML Holding reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell on Wednesday.
  

• Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) provides banking and financial products and services worldwide. BAC has gone down 11.6% year-over-year. Bank of America released its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell yesterday.
  • Earnings per share fell 32% year-over-year to $0.51, which beat the estimate of $0.49. Revenue of $20.45 billion decreased by 10.91% year-over-year, which missed the estimate of $20.81 billion.

• The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (NYSE:GS) operates as an investment banking, securities, and investment management company worldwide. Last quarter, Goldman Sachs announced a partnership with Walmart (NYSE:WMT) and we analyzed the stock's reaction here. Goldman Sachs announced its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell yesterday.
  • Earnings per share were up 102.09% year-over-year to $9.68, which beat the estimate of $5.57. Revenue of $10.78 billion up by 29.53% year-over-year, beating analysts' estimate of $9.46 billion.

• The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC) operates as a diversified financial services company in the United States. PNC has remained essentially flat year-over-year. PNC reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell yesterday.

  • Earnings per share increased 15.31% over the past year to $3.39, beating estimates of $2.12. Revenue of $4.28 billion decreased by 4.72% from the same period last year, which beat analysts' estimate of $4 billion.

    
    

• The Progressive Corporation (NYSE:PGR) provides personal and commercial insurance and related services primarily in the United States. Progressive reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell yesterday.
  •  Earnings per share increased 32.39% over the past year to $1.88, which beat estimates of $1.72. The company reported revenue of $9.97 billion, up by 10.67% year-over-year, but missed analyst estimates of $10.92 billion.

• U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB) provides various financial services in the United States. USB has remained essentially flat year-to-date. Last quarter, U.S. Bancorp battled through analyst skepticism and we analyzed the stock's reaction here. U.S. Bancorp released its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell yesterday.
  •  The company reported that earnings per share decreased 13.91% to $0.99, which beat the estimate of $0.91. Revenue of $5.94 billion increased by 0.75% when compared to the same period last year. This beat analysts' estimate of $5.71 billion.

• UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) operates as a diversified health care company in the United States. Late last month, there were rumors of acquisition surrounding UnitedHealth. Here is how the stock reacted.
  UnitedHealth released its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell on Wednesday.
  •  Earnings per share fell 9.54% year-over-year to $3.51, beating analysts' estimate of $3.09. Revenue of $65.12 billion increased by 7.89% year-over-year, beating estimates of $63.96 billion.

• Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) provides banking, investment, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance products and services. Wells Fargo announced its fiscal second-quarter earnings before the bell yesterday.
  

• Alcoa Corporation (NYSE:AA) produces and sells bauxite, alumina, and aluminum products. Alcoa reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market closes yesterday.
  •  Earnings per share decreased 165.91% over the past year to -$1.17 as reported yesterday, which beat the expected -$1.38 EPS. Revenue of $2.37 billion represents a decrease of 7.87% year-over-year, beating the analysts' estimate of $2.23 billion.

• Sleep Number Corporation (NASDAQ:SNBR) provides sleep solutions and services in the United States. Sleep Number reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market closed yesterday.
  •  The company reported an EPS of $1.79, representing an increase of 90.43% year-over-year. This EPS beat analyst expectations of $1.00. Quarterly company revenue was reported to be $531.15 million, increasing by 11.87% year-over-year, and beating estimates of $515.82 million.

• United Airlines Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) provides air transportation services. In an effort to provide some investor optimism last quarter, United updated their ticket policy and permanently eliminated ticket change fees. We analyzed how traders reacted to this news here. United Airlines reported its fiscal second-quarter earnings after the market closed Wednesday.
  

• Washington Federal, Inc. (NASDAQ:WAFD) operates as the bank holding company that provides lending, depository, insurance, and other banking services. Washington Federal reported its third-quarter earnings after the market closed yesterday.
  

To cap off the week tomorrow, core retail sales and consumer sentiment data will be released, along with earnings from Ally Financial (ALLY) and Citizens Financial Group (CFG). Remember, all earnings and economic dates listed below are tentative and subject to change. Please check with each company's respective website for official reporting dates.

The shares of L Brands Inc (NYSE:LB) are up 1% at $32.25 this afternoon, earlier landing a price-target hike to $38 from $33 at B. Riley. And while the fashion retail stock is just cooling down from a nearly two-year high of $33.62 on Oct. 8, the security has gained an impressive 153.1% in the last six months. Better yet, this recent pullback has LB near a historically bullish trendline, which could help the equity surge even higher in the near future.

Specifically, L Brands stock just came within one standard deviation of its 40-day moving average, after spending the past several months soaring above the trendline. According to data from Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White, three similar signals have occurred during the past three years. Half of the time, LB enjoyed positive returns one month after each signal, averaging a roughly 4.8% gain. From its current perch, a move of similar magnitude would put the security just below the $34 -- back near a two-year peak.

A slim majority of analysts covering LB are already bullish, but there is still plenty of room for upgrades and price-target hikes going forward, which could propel the equity higher. Of the 17 in coverage, eight carry a tepid "hold" or worse. Plus, the 12-month consensus price target of $31.54 is an underwhelming 1.6% discount to current levels. 

For those wanting to take advantage of L Brands stock's next leg higher, options may be an intriguing play. The stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 68% sits higher than just 11% of readings in its annual range, suggesting short-term options are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations.

Since September 2019, computer software concern Nuance Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:NUAN) had been steadily climbing up the charts, before the COVID-19 pandemic took its hit on the market. Nevertheless, the stock remains up roughly 94% year-to-date. That being said, now looks like an opportune time to bet on NUAN's next leg higher.

Tailwinds could come from a shift in analyst attention. NUAN's 12-month consensus price target of $34.86 is roughly a 1% discount to the stock's current perch, which may spur some price-target hikes moving forward and ultimately push NUAN even higher.

A short squeeze could create additional upside for the equity as well. Short interest spiked to a multi-year high of 16.1% in the most recent reporting period, and the 19.93 million shares sold make up about 7% of the stock's available float. At the security's average pace of trading, it would take more than a week to buy back these bearish bets; ample amounts of buying power that can hit the market and fuel an unwind.

The amount of pessimism in the options pits could also give the security a boost, should it begin to unwind. This is per NUAN's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.21, which sits in the 98th percentile of its annual range -- meaning short-term options traders have rarely been more put-biased.

What's more, options traders are pricing in relatively low volatility expectations at the moment, per the stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 37%, which sits higher than just 28% of all other annual readings. Plus, NUAN's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) ranks at a high 96 out of 100, meaning the equity has tended to exceed these expectations during the past year.

Subscribers to Schaeffer's Weekend Trader options recommendation service received this NUAN commentary on Sunday night, along with a detailed options trade recommendation -- including complete entry and exit parameters. Learn more about why Weekend Trader is one of our most popular options trading services.

Nordstrom, Inc. (NYSE:JWN) is a luxury department store based in the US. The company’s primary industry competitors include Macy (NYSE:M), Dillard’s (NYSE: DDS), and Kohl’s (NYSE:KSS). Nordstrom and its competitors have all seen drastic decreases to their stock price in 2020. Without a doubt, department stores in general have been heavily impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Many have already filed for bankruptcy. Others are still at risk of it and, from the current stance on Wall Street, many think Nordstrom is on the brink. JWN has fallen more than 70% since its highs earlier this year. JWN shares currently sit at a price comparable to share price in 2008. Could Nordstrom still very well be a buying opportunity for investors? Is it time to buy the dip?

Nordstrom sports a market cap of $1.87 billion along with a book value of $1.11 per share. The company's price/book value is 10.95. Further, Nordstrom  has a forward p/e (price-earnings ration) of 8.77 and a 12-month trailing p/e of 9.24. Recently, analysts have given Nordstrom a 12 month target estimate of $18.17 which is a 52% increase from JWN's current stock price.

Nordstrom has missed expectations in three of the past four quarterly earnings reports. The retailer's biggest whiff came when reporting earnings for the company's fiscal second quarter of 2020, relaying an when it reported a loss of $3.33 as a result of the lockdowns. Analyst expectations were missed by a whopping $2.26. Analysts expect that Nordstrom will improve their EPS by $1.56, translating to an expected EPS of -$0.06. The company has a trailing twelve-month EPS of -$2.93,significantly stronger than the -$11.83 its primary competitor, Macy's, currently has.

Nordstrom has been bottom-line profitable for the last four years. The company has demonstrated consistent net income and total revenue, with no major increases or decreases aside from this year. Over the last two quarters this year, the company has seen a significant decrease in overall revenue, falling to less than half of what was produced in the fourth quarter of 2019. The company has gone from consistent profitability to sliding into the red at the bottom line over the last 6 months.

According to the balance sheet, Nordstrom currently has $9.737 billion in total assets. The company's total liabilities are valued at $8.76 billion, and total equity is valued at $979 million.

Although it is widely known that most companies in the department store and retail sectors are priced for bankruptcy, there will undoubtedly be a few companies that pivot, survive, and recover from current outrageously low share prices. From the view on "Main Street," Nordstrom has everything it should require to make a strong comeback. The company caters mostly to higher-spending customers, a demographic likely to be least affected financially by the pandemic and shutdowns.

Further, and this is where Nordstrom really sets themselves apart from the competition, the company made the decision to not reduce their inventory at the time around which the public (and potential customers) was emerging from quarantine. As long as Nordstrom was able to successfully move this inventory post-quarantine, the company may be in line for a much quicker recovery than its competition. Holiday shopping is just around the corner, providing hope for a revenue upswing through the end of 2020. If Nordstrom is able to report a profit for the fourth quarter of 2020, JWN shares are positioned to soar in the short term. 

The biggest concern for investors in Nordstrom, or any department store or retailer, is the potential for further lockdowns and quarantines. A resurgence in coronavirus cases would be detrimental for Nordstrom's revenue. Outside of the uncertainty of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the company has the potential to, at a minimum, double in stock price in the coming months.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI - 28,645.66) rose 215.6 points, or 0.8% yesterday. Walmart (WMT) finished yesterday with a 6.3% rise, pacing the 17 winners. Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) paced the laggards with a 3.3% fall.

Meanwhile, the S&P 500 Index (SPX - 3,526.65) added 26.3 points, or 0.8% yesterday. The Nasdaq Composite (IXIC - 11,939.67) gained 164.2 points, or 1.4% during yesterday session. Both indexes locked in record closes.

Lastly, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX - 26.12) lost 0.3 point, or 1.1% yesterday.

We have rounded up all the companies slated to release their quarterly earnings today.

• Brown-Forman Corporation (NYSE: BF -- $72.60) is a manufacturer, importer, exporter, and seller of various alcoholic beverages. BF.B is essentially flat year-to-date.

  - Brown-Forman will report its fiscal fourth-quarter earnings before the bell today.

• GSX Techedu Inc. (NYSE: GSX -- $94.69) is a provider of online K-12 after-school tutoring services in the People's Republic of China. GSX is up a whopping 366.6% year-to-date.

  - GSX will report its second-quarter earnings before the bell today.

• Guess?, Inc. (NYSE: GES -- $12.01) is a designer and licenser of lifestyle collections of apparel and accessories for men, women, and children. GES is currently down 40% year-to-date.

  - Guess? will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 before the bell today.

• Macy's, Inc. (NYSE: M -- $7.01) is an omnichannel retail organization under the Macy's, Bloomingdale's, and bluemercury brands. M is down 35.8% year-over-year at the moment.

  - Macy's will report its fiscal  fourth-quarter earnings before the bell today.

• Vera Bradley, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRA -- $5.41) is a manufacturer and seller of women's handbags, luggage and travel items, fashion and home accessories, and gifts.

  - Vera Bradley will report its fiscal first-quarter earnings of 2021 before the bell today.

• Ambarella, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMBA -- $57.72) is a developer of semiconductor processing solutions for video operating worldwide.

  - Ambarella will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• Cloudera, Inc. (NYSE: CLDR -- $13.86) provides a suite of data analytics and management products in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

  - Cloudera will report its fiscal  fourth-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

• Copart, Inc. (NASDAQ: CPRT -- $104.02) provides online auctions and vehicle remarketing services.

  - Copart will report its fiscal  third-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

• CrowdStrike Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD -- $143.69) is a provider of cloud-delivered solutions for next-generation endpoint protection.

  - CrowdStrike will report its  fiscal first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• Five Below, Inc. (NASDAQ: FIVE -- $114.42) is a specialty value retailer in the United States.

  - Five Below will report its first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• Guidewire Software, Inc. (NYSE: GWRE-- $117.52) is a provider of software products for property and casualty insurers worldwide.

  - Guidewire Software will report its  fiscal third-quarter earnings after the market closes today.

• MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDB -- $250.72) is a general-purpose database platform worldwide.

  - MongoDB will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• PagerDuty, Inc. (NYSE: PD -- $36.65) is an operator of a platform for real-time operations in the United States and internationally.

  - PagerDuty will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• PVH Corp. (NYSE: PVH -- $57.65) is an apparel company in the United States and internationally.

  - PVH will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• Science Applications International Operation (NYSE: SAIC -- $82.80) is a provider of technical, engineering, and enterprise information technology (IT) services primarily in the United States.

  - Science Applications will report its  fiscal first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• Smartsheet, Inc. (NYSE: SMAR -- $59.42) is a provider of cloud-based platform for execution of work.

  - Smartsheet will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

• Zuora, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZUO -- $15.24) is provider of cloud-based software on a subscription basis.

  - Zuora will report its fiscal  first-quarter earnings of 2021 after the market closes today.

Telehealth name Livongo Health Inc (NASDAQ:LVGO) is up 0.8% at $149.30 this morning, in a valiant effort to push past a downgrade from J.P. Morgan Securities. The analyst knocked its rating down to "neutral" from "overweight," predicting that competitor Teladoc (TDOC) will eventually sweep the market. However, the broker did bestow LVGO with a hefty price-target hike -- all the way to $150 from $80 -- which could be contributing to some of this morning's upside. 

Though the shares of LVGO have actually been consolidating right below the $150 mark for months, the security looks ready to grab its highest close on record, should some of these gains hold. The stock has been on a roll lately, stringing together eight consecutive monthly wins, with solid support at the 10- and 50-day moving averages. 

A look back at analyst coverage shows most were optimistic coming into today, with nine at a buy or better, and just three saying "hold." A couple more price-target hikes could be on the horizon though. The 12-month consensus price target of $126.18 is a 14.8% premium to last night's close. 

Short sellers are starting to hit the exits, too, with short interest down 3.2% in the last reporting period. There's still plenty of pent-up pessimism to be unwound, however. The 10 million shares sold short make up 17.6% of the stock's available float, and would take almost three days to cover, at its average daily pace of trading.