Analyst Downgrades: American Airlines Group Inc, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc, and Stratasys, Ltd.

Analysts downwardly revised their ratings and price targets on American Airlines Group Inc (AAL), SeaWorld Entertainment Inc (SEAS), and Stratasys, Ltd. (SSYS)

Apr 15, 2016 at 9:25 AM

Analysts are weighing in on aviation issue American Airlines Group Inc (NASDAQ:AAL), theme park operator SeaWorld Entertainment Inc (NYSE:SEAS), and 3-D printing specialist Stratasys, Ltd. (NASDAQ:SSYS). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on AAL, SEAS, and SSYS.

A week ahead of the airline's earnings report, AAL was hit with a price-target cut to $48 from $55 at Barclays. However, this mark still represents a 17% premium to last night's close at $41.17, and territory not charted since last May. Speaking more broadly, two-thirds of analysts rate American Airlines Group Inc a "buy" or better, with not a single "sell" to be found. Plus, the consensus 12-month price target stands at a high $49.23. As a result, AAL -- which is down 3% in 2016, due in part to overseas terrorism -- is vulnerable to additional bearish brokerage notes.

Citigroup lowered its opinion of SEAS to "neutral" from "buy," despite the stock's extreme gains in recent weeks. Specifically, since touching a March low of $16.87, the shares have rocketed 27% to trade at $21.42 -- sparked by the amusement park's decision to stop breeding killer whales. Ahead of the open, however, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc is pointed 2.4% lower. On the sentiment front, short sellers remain unconvinced by the stock's technical tenacity. Short interest jumped 18.5% during the latest reporting period, and accounts for over 27% of its float. Separately, the firm announced today it has appointed two new members to its board.

Citigroup also cut its rating on SSYS to "neutral" from "buy," pressuring the shares 2.3% lower in electronic trading. On a year-over-year basis, the stock -- which closed yesterday at $29.35 -- has surrendered over half of its value, despite a rock-solid March performance. Not surprisingly, short-term options traders are more put-focused than usual toward Stratasys, Ltd. The stock's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) checks in at 1.99 -- with puts roughly doubling calls among options in the front three-months' series -- which ranks in the 98th percentile of its annual range.

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