Today's stocks to watch in the news include Herbalife Ltd. (HLF), Talend SA ADR (TLND), and Ocwen Financial Corp (OCN)
U.S. stock futures are signaling a higher start, ahead of Fed Chair Janet Yellen's speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Meanwhile, among specific equities in focus are nutritional supplements specialist Herbalife Ltd. (NYSE:HLF), tech stock Talend SA ADR (NASDAQ:TLND), and mortgage company Ocwen Financial Corp (NYSE:OCN).
- Bill Ackman confirmed recent speculation that activist investor Carl Icahn was contemplating selling his stake in HLF to a group Ackman is included in. Ackman is notorious in his dislike of Herbalife Ltd. -- as well as his support for one embattled drug stock -- and said that he believes Icahn was moved to sell his stake because he "knows this is toast," and said he "would have sold Herbalife on day one." After closing last night at $61.93, shares of HLF are down 6% in electronic trading. Plus, the stock could be on track to surrender a foothold atop its 120-day moving average, a trendline that has helped support the shares since their late-February bull gap. Ackman is not the only one skeptical of HLF, either, considering more than 39% of the stock's float is sold short.
- In its first quarterly earnings report as a publicly traded company, data integration specialist TLND said its net loss nearly doubled to $8 million in the second quarter. What's more, the stock was hit with a price-target cut to $30 from $32 at Citigroup. Against this bearish backdrop, the shares of Talend SA ADR have plunged 13% in electronic trading. Heading into today's trading, the Wall Street freshman was sitting nearly 45% above its IPO price of $18, and closed last night at $30.18. Meanwhile, of the three analysts covering the shares, two maintain a "hold" rating, versus one "strong buy."
- OCN said it has settled with the state of Washington over an investigation into the practices of its loan servicing unit, and will pay a fine of $900,000. Additionally, Ocwen Financial Corp will no longer use unlicensed offshore companies to disburse mortgage loans. As such, the shares are up 6.9% ahead of the bell, after closing last night at $3.18. Longer term, OCN has surrendered nearly 56% year-over-year. Options traders, meanwhile, have been quick to initiate long calls in recent weeks. Amid relatively low absolute volume, the equity has racked up a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 53.15 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) -- in the 80th annual percentile.
Don't miss the market's next move! Sign up now for Schaeffer's Midday Market Check