Analyst Update: DHT, NeoPhotonics and Smith & Wesson

Analysts are weighing in today on crude oil transporter DHT Holdings Inc (NYSE:DHT), circuit maker NeoPhotonics Corp (NYSE:NPTN), and firearm concern Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (NASDAQ:SWHC). Here's a quick look at today's brokerage notes on DHT, NPTN, and SWHC.

• Last night, DHT announced that Rolf Wikborg has stepped down from its board of directors. In response, GMP Securities initiated coverage on the equity with a $10 price target -- in territory not charted in almost three years -- and a "buy" rating. At last check, the shares were up 1.9% to hit $7.05, bring the stock's year-to-date loss to 3.6%. Despite DHT Holdings Inc's technical woes, the brokerage bunch is universally optimistic on the stock, as all four covering analysts have doled out a "strong buy" rating. What's more, DHT's consensus 12-month price target of $11.03 stands at a 56.5% premium to current trading levels.


• NPTN released an upbeat fourth-quarter earnings report last night, prompting B. Riley and Piper Jaffray to hike their price targets to $7.75 and $5, respectively. Today, the shares are up 14.6% to hit $4.01, bringing the security's year-to-date gain to 18.6%. Accordingly, sentiment among the brokerage bunch is bullish, as 75% of covering analysts rate the stock a "strong buy," without a single "sell" or worse recommendation to be found. Furthermore, NeoPhotonics Corp's consensus 12-month price target of $6.13 is a 52.9% premium to its current price.


• SWHC scored a fiscal third-quarter earnings beat and issued a better-than-expected guidance. Reacting were no fewer than three brokerage firms, which all lifted their price targets on the equity. Specifically, CRT Capital hiked its price target to $16, Wunderlich raised its price target to $17, and Cowen and Company increased its price target to $18 (all three firms reiterated "buy" or equivalent ratings). This morning, the shares of Smith & Wesson Holding Corp are up over 11% to reach $14.49, for an impressive 53% year-to-date gain. However, there are plenty of SWHC skeptics that could be spooked, as its 10-day International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) put/call volume ratio of 1.12 sits in the 79th percentile of its annual range. Meanwhile, 18.6% of the equity's available float is sold short, which would take over 10 sessions to cover, at average daily trading volumes.