Analyst Update: 3D Systems, bluebird bio, Barrick Gold

Analysts are weighing in today on 3-D printing company 3D Systems Corporation (NYSE:DDD), biotech stock bluebird bio Inc (NASDAQ:BLUE), and gold miner Barrick Gold Corporation (USA) (NYSE:ABX). Here's a quick roundup of today's brokerage notes on DDD, BLUE, and ABX.

• DDD is down 10% at a five-year low of $6.69, after Canaccord Genuity last night trimmed its price target by $1 to $9, following the lead of most of Wall Street. Specifically, 14 of 17 brokerage firms with coverage on the stock say it's a "hold" or worse. What's more, short interest is also elevated, representing almost 32% of the stock's float. This bearish sentiment makes sense, since 3D Systems Corporation has dropped nearly 77% of its value on a year-over-year basis. 

• BLUE has tumbled 5.4% to $44.03 following a Jefferies price-target cut to $84 from $96, even though that downwardly revised target still implies expected upside of more than 80% from Thursday's close. The stock is currently trading around annual-low territory, and there's still plenty of opportunity for bluebird bio Inc to keep sliding if more analysts abandon the bullish camp. Despite BLUE's 78% plunge from its May high, the stock sports about 79% "buy" ratings from analysts.

• As traders flock to safe-haven assets amid today's sell-off, ABX is one of the few equities moving higher. The stock was last seen up 4.9% at $7.95, and has outpaced the S&P 500 Index (SPX) by nearly 16 percentage points in the past two months. Today's gains come in spite of a price-target reduction to $12.50 from $17.50 at T.D. Securities. Looking back, calls have been exchanged at a rapid-fire pace. For instance, almost 14 Barrick Gold Corporation calls have been bought to open for every put over the past 10 weeks at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX.