Analyst Update: Cree, Gilead Sciences, Coherent

Analysts adjusted their ratings and price targets on Cree, Inc. (CREE), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD), and Coherent, Inc. (COHR)

Mar 7, 2016 at 3:23 PM

Analysts are weighing in on lighting specialist Cree, Inc. (NASDAQ:CREE), biotech stock Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD), and laser producer Coherent, Inc. (NASDAQ:COHR). Here's a quick roundup of today's brokerage notes on CREE, GILD, and COHR.

CREE is down 10% at $28.25, suffering its worst day in more than four months, after Canaccord Genuity cut its price target to $24 from $26. The brokerage firm also waxed pessimistic on Cree's ability to sell its LED products business, as the government's block of another lighting company's division sale leaves Cree with "limited potential suitors." The stock had been on the mend since touching a three-year low of $22.10 in November, but today's plunge has it on pace to close beneath its 10-week moving average for the first time in nearly two months. It looks like option traders have been waiting for Cree, Inc. to drop. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the stock's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 1.05 is in the 83rd percentile of its annual range. Echoing this, CREE's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 1.18 is at a yearly high, indicating a bigger-than-usual preference for near-term puts over calls.

Leerink increased its price target on GILD to $130 from $125 -- in record-high territory -- sending the shares 2.5% higher to $89.36. Gilead Sciences, Inc., which is presenting at the Cowen Health Care Conference in Boston today, has given up 11.7% in 2016. The shares have been bouncing back since hitting an annual low of $81.89 in early February, on pace to close above their 40-day moving average for the first time in three months. And though analysts are firmly in GILD's corner, there's plenty of room on the bullish bandwagon. The stock's 10-day put/call volume ratio at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX is higher than 84% of the past year's readings, at 0.71.

COHR is up 2.9% at $87.21 -- and just off a nearly 15-year high of $88.66 -- after Stifel gave the stock a price-target hike to $100 from $82. Coherent, Inc. has added 33.9% already this year, and the stock could stand to benefit from more bullish brokerage attention. Half of the analysts following the equity rate it only a "hold," and the average 12-month price target of $86.83 now sits at a discount to current levels.

For other stocks in analysts' crosshairs, read Analyst Upgrades: Wynn Resorts, Limited, Michael Kors Holdings Ltd, and ArcelorMittal SA (ADR) and Analyst Downgrades: Apple Inc., Dunkin Brands Group Inc, and Micron Technology, Inc.

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