Buzz Stocks: Ford Motor Company, Insys Therapeutics Inc, and Himax Technologies, Inc. (ADR)

Today's stocks to watch in the news include Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), Insys Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:INSY), and Himax Technologies, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:HIMX)

Jul 5, 2016 at 10:26 AM

HIMX
INSY
F

U.S. stocks are down following a post-"Brexit" hot streak. Among equities in focus today are automaker Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F), biotech Insys Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:INSY), and semiconductor stock Himax Technologies, Inc. (ADR) (NASDAQ:HIMX).

F is down 2.6% at $12.39, erasing Friday's gains that stemmed from the company's solid first-half sales figures. Weighing on the stock are concerns about an auto industry slowdown (subscription required), as well as an investigation into "occupants smelling exhaust odors" inside recent Explorer SUV models. Ford Motor Company is down over 16% year-over-year, and option traders have been especially bearish towards the stock, with F's 50-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE) and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) of 0.82 sitting higher than 89% of all other readings from the past year. Analysts seem a bit more upbeat, with five of 13 rating the stock a "buy" or better, and without a single "sell" in sight -- leaving the door open for a round of downgrades to exacerbate selling pressure.

INSY is up 20.3% at $16.21, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its THC-based drug Syndros, which is used for treating anorexia, nausea, and vomiting associated with conditions such as AIDS and chemotherapy treatment. This is a welcome shot in the arm for the stock, which is still down 53.9% year-over-year, and touched a near-two-year low of $11.45 just last week. There's likely some short sellers kicking rocks, with 25% of the stock's float sold short -- an amount that would take over five weeks of trading, at Insys Therapeutics Inc's average daily volume, to cover.

HIMX is up 7.1% at $8.02, following an upbeat preliminary earnings report and annual forecast. Himax Technologies, Inc. (ADR) shares have struggled in recent months, plummeting last week on news of its a major executive departure. There's likely some option players getting nervous today, though, with HIMX's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.73 sitting at an annual high, showing near-term option players haven't been more put-skewed in the past 12 months.

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