Analyst Downgrades: Akamai Technologies, Inc., Southwest Airlines Co, and Twitter Inc

Analysts downwardly revised their ratings and price targets on Akamai Technologies, Inc. (AKAM), Southwest Airlines Co (LUV), and Twitter Inc (TWTR)

Jul 27, 2016 at 10:14 AM

Analysts are weighing in on cloud services provider Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM), airline stock Southwest Airlines Co (NYSE:LUV), and social media concern Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on AKAM, LUV, and TWTR.

AKAM received a downgrade to "sector weight" from "overweight" at Pacific Crest, along with at least six price-target cuts, after the company's mixed second-quarter earnings report -- which included disappointing current-quarter guidance. The shares are off 15.3% at $49.18, giving back all of their year-to-date gains (and then some), and losing their foothold in the $50-$51 region, which has provided support since the stock's February bull gap. Plus, AKAM has landed on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list, and is on the worst performer on the Nasdaq. It looks like some optimistic options traders could be sweating today, too. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), Akamai Technologies, Inc. holds a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 2.97 -- in the bullishly skewed 82nd percentile of its annual range.

LUV is down 1.8% at $37.58, after J.P. Morgan Securities lowered its rating on the stock to "neutral" from "overweight," and slashed its price target to $34 from $52.50 -- representing a discount to current levels, and a price not seen since a sharp dip in early February. This latest slap in the face comes less than a week after disappointing quarterly earnings sent the stock skidding. And Southwest Airlines Co could still see more pain, should additional analysts follow suit. More than half of the brokerage firms following the stock maintain a "strong buy" rating, without a "sell" on the books, leaving the door wide open for further downgrades.

Pre-earnings TWTR call buyers are likely kicking rocks this morning, as the stock has dumped 10.2% of its value to trade at $16.56 on a poorly received quarterly report. While Twitter Inc earnings topped analyst estimates, the company saw its slowest revenue growth in any quarter since it began trading publicly in 2013. The brokerage bunch has been quick to weigh in, with Canaccord Genuity lowering its rating on the stock to "hold" from "buy," and being one of at least 13 analysts to cut its price target. Stifel set the lowest target, at just $9 -- a 46% discount to the current price, and well into record-low territory. The shares are now down 55% year-over-year, having given up a recent foothold in the $18 region. On the sentiment front, volume is already on fire in the stock's options pits this morning, and TWTR landed on the SSR list out of the gate.

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