Analyst Downgrades: Alibaba, Keryx, Transocean LTD

Analysts are weighing in today on China-based e-commerce concern Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (NYSE:BABA), drugmaker Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:KERX), and drilling issue Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on BABA, KERX, and RIG.

• BABA fell to an all-time low of $71.03 yesterday, due to a disappointing turn in the earnings confessional and a yuan-related sell-off. The stock's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) now sits at 29 -- in oversold territory -- and the shares are pointed modestly higher ahead of the bell, despite more negative analyst attention. Specifically, no fewer than six brokerage firms downwardly revised their price targets on BABA this morning, and Atlantic Equities downgraded the shares to "neutral." Most analysts were in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's corner, with 21 out of 22 offering up "buy" or better opinions. BABA closed at $73.38 yesterday, bringing its year-to-date deficit to 29.4%. Additional downgrades could push the shares even lower.

• KERX has surrendered more than half its value in 2015, settling at $6.46 yesterday, and just off a two-year low of $5.97, tagged earlier this week. What's more, the stock is headed for a 4% drop out of the gate, after Morgan Stanley initiated coverage with an "underweight" rating and an ice-cold $3 price target -- representing expected downside of roughly 50%. Short sellers are rolling the dice on a steeper slide for Keryx Biopharmaceuticals, as these bearish bets account for 41.3% of the equity's total float. In fact, it would take nearly a month to buy back these shorted shares, at KERX's average pace of trading.

• RIG is staring at a 2% drop at the opening bell, after Barclays cut its price target to $10 from $14 and reiterated an "underweight" opinion. It's been a rough year for Transocean LTD, which has surrendered 61% to sit at $15.05, following crude oil's lead. Option buyers are expecting even more downside, as the security's 10-day put/call volume ratio on the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) sits at 6.28, and in the 85th percentile of its annual range. In other words, traders have picked up long puts over calls at a faster-than-usual clip during the past two weeks.

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