Analysts adjusted their ratings on Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AEGR), Nautilus, Inc. (NLS), and On Deck Capital Inc (ONDK)
Analysts are weighing in today on biotech firm
Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:AEGR), fitness products specialist
Nautilus, Inc. (NYSE:NLS), and small business loan provider
On Deck Capital Inc (NYSE:ONDK). Here's a quick look at today's brokerage notes on AEGR, NLS, and ONDK.
- AEGR is suffering in the wake of a poorly received earnings report, with the shares 8.6% lower at $21.38. Nevertheless, Jefferies raised its price target on the stock by $2 to $26 while keeping its "hold" rating, representing a 21.6% premium to current trading levels. Technically speaking, Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is down over 51% year-over-year, with recent rebound attempts stifled by its 10-month moving average. Not surprisingly, put players have been active in the options pits, as AEGR's 10-day International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) put/call volume ratio of 0.74 is higher than 79% of all similar readings from the past year. Elsewhere, short interest declined by 18.8% during the last two reporting periods, but still accounts for 34.6% of AEGR's available float. It would take these bettors just over 14 days to cover their positions, at average trading volumes. In light of today's swoon, however, AEGR landed on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list.
- The shares of NLS are 18% higher at $20.29 -- and earlier touched a nine-year high of $20.95 -- after the company released first-quarter earnings that toppled the Street's expectations. In fact, NLS is the biggest percentage gainer on the Big Board thus far. Reacting were no fewer than five brokerage firms, which all raised their price targets on the security. Specifically, the most ambitious hikes came from Sterne Agee CRT and Imperial Capital -- to $24 and $23, respectively -- with both underscoring "buy" or equivalent ratings. On the charts, Nautilus, Inc. has been a technical juggernaut, with the shares up 33.6% year-to-date. In the options pits, traders have shown a distinct preference for puts over calls -- over the past 10 days at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX, 22 NLS puts have been bought to open for every call. Mirroring this indicator is NLS' Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 3.55, which reads in the 100th percentile of its annual range. Simply stated, short-term traders have never been more put-skewed on NLS over the past year.
- ONDK steepened its projections for a full-year loss, prompting Jefferies and Deutsche Bank to lower their price targets on the equity. Specifically, the former cut its target to $27 and the latter lowered its to $25, though both firms reiterated their "buy" opinions. At last check, the shares of On Deck Capital Inc were 12.2% lower at $17.57, bringing their year-to-date loss to 21.7%. What's more, ONDK is the second-worst percentage loser on the Nasdaq this afternoon. Not surprisingly, short sellers have taken a shine to ONDK, as short interest jumped 27.8% in the last two reporting periods. It now accounts for 17.9% of ONDK's available float, which would take over 16 sessions to cover, at average trading volumes. As with AEGR, however, ONDK has been relegated to the SSR list.