Analyst Update: Blue Buffalo Pet, Keysight, Vivint Solar

Analysts adjusted their ratings and price targets on Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc (BUFF), Keysight Technologies Inc (KEYS), and Vivint Solar Inc (VSLR)

Mar 9, 2016 at 1:03 PM

Analysts are weighing in on pet food specialist Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc (NASDAQ:BUFF), electronic equipment specialist Keysight Technologies Inc (NYSE:KEYS), and solar energy stock Vivint Solar Inc (NYSE:VSLR). Here's a quick roundup of today's brokerage notes on BUFF, KEYS, and VSLR.

BUFF has surged 21.2% to trade at $22.50 after beating fourth-quarter earnings estimates and receiving a price-target hike to $25 from $22 at Deutsche Bank. Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc has added 48% since its Feb. 11 record low of $15.19, and analysts appear optimistic, with only one out of six brokerages rating the stock lower than a "buy." Still, short interest on BUFF is elevated, representing about 21% of the equity's available float. At BUFF's average daily pace, it would take more than 16 session to buy back all these shares -- plenty of buying power to continue fueling the stock's rally.

Goldman Sachs cut its rating on KEYS to "sell," sending the shares down 4% to $25.68. Keysight Technologies Inc is slumping this week, after a strong rebound from its Feb. 11 all-time low of $21.07 ran out of steam in the $27.50 region. Meanwhile, short sellers have been backing off , and in the most recent two-week reporting period, short interest fell by 16.1%.

VSLR is down 1.4% at $4.11 -- not far off yesterday's record low of $4.03 -- after Deutsche Bank revised its price target on the stock to $4.50. Vivint Solar Inc dropped 20% Tuesday on the news that the company terminated its merger agreement with Sunedison Inc (NYSE:SUNE). VSLR's year-to-date loss now stands at 57%. In the options pits, meanwhile, short-term speculators are more put-skewed than usual, per the stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 2.52 -- in the 78th annual percentile.

For other stocks in analysts' crosshairs, read Analyst Upgrades: FireEye Inc, Dick's Sporting Goods, Inc., and Paypal Holdings Inc and Analyst Downgrades: Groupon Inc, BHP Billiton Limited, and Yelp Inc.

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