Analyst Downgrades: Twitter, Buffalo Wild Wings, Stratasys

Analysts downwardly revised their ratings on Twitter Inc (TWTR), Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), and Stratasys, Ltd. (SSYS)

Apr 29, 2015 at 9:44 AM

Analysts are weighing in today on microblogging platform Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR), chicken wing king Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ:BWLD), and 3-D printing specialist Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS). Below, we'll break down how options traders are positioning themselves, and how much speculators are willing to pay for their bets on TWTR, BWLD, and SSYS.

TWTR's first-quarter earnings report was leaked about an hour early yesterday, which briefly halted trading before sending the shares nearly 18% lower to finish Tuesday at $42.27. What's more, the shares of Twitter Inc have plunged more than 5% out of the gate, and are now testing the round-number $40 level, as traders continue to react to the company's disappointing revenue figures and bleak 2015 sales forecast. Plus, the stock landed on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list. In response, no fewer than 21 brokerage firms downwardly revised their price targets on the security, with the largest cuts coming from Cowen and Company (to $38) and Stifel (to $36). Heading into earnings, traders have favored calls over puts in the options pits, as TWTR's 50-day International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) call/put volume ratio of 3.09 ranks in the 98th percentile of its annual range.

The shares of BWLD are down 10.7% at $163.99 -- and on the SSR list -- after the company posted first-quarter earnings that failed to meet consensus estimates, possibly due in part to a 41% increase in the price of poultry. Reacting were Jefferies, Cowen and Company, and Barclays, which cut their price targets to $172, $208, and $195, respectively. On the charts, Buffalo Wild Wings is now on pace to end beneath its 200-day moving average for the first time since late October, and is 8.9% in the red year-to-date. However, sentiment in the options pits has been bullish, as BWLD's 10-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX call/put volume ratio of 1.18 is higher than 73% of all equivalent readings from the past year. Meanwhile, short interest surged by 11.9% over the last reporting period, and now accounts for nearly 10% of BWLD's available float.

SSYS said in a statement that its first-quarter earnings will fail to topple expectations, sending the shares down roughly 20% to a new three-year low of $41.14 -- and onto the SSR list -- out of the gate. In response, no fewer than eight brokerage firms revised their price targets and/or ratings on the stock. For instance, Piper Jaffray cut its price target to $45 from $64 while keeping its "neutral" rating, and Needham cut its price target to $54 from $70 while underscoring its "buy" opinion. On the other hand, Craig Hallum upgraded Stratasys, Ltd. to "buy" from "hold," but did decrease its price target to $52 from $68. Technically speaking, SSYS has been a long-term underperformer, with the shares down nearly 50% year-to-date. Not surprisingly, puts have been prominent in the options pits, as SSYS' 50-day ISE/CBOE/PHLX put/call volume ratio of 0.87 is higher than 85% of all similar readings from the past year.

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