Buzz Stocks: Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc, JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., and Acacia Research Corp

U.S. stock futures are edging higher with oil, as traders digest a raft of economic data. Meanwhile, among specific equities in focus are drugmaker Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AERI), alternative energy stock JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (NYSE:JKS), and patent protector Acacia Research Corp (NASDAQ:ACTG).

• AERI is set to jump 70% out of the gate -- and could take aim at its April 2015 record high of $35.89 -- after the biotech said its eye drug, Roclatan, was successful in a late-stage study. This comes just one week after AERI submitted a marketing application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its other eye treatment, Rhopressa. Additionally, the stock received no fewer than four price-target hikes, including one to $50 from $44 at Cantor Fitzgerald, which assigned an 80% chance of marketing approval for both treatments.
  
  The stock had already put in a strong showing on the charts -- nearly doubling since hitting an annual low of $10.82 in late March, based on last night's close at $21.13. This surge could shake some of the weaker bearish hands loose, too. Short interest accounts for a whopping 34% of Aerie Pharmaceuticals Inc's available float, or almost 14 days' worth of pent-up buying demand, at the stock's average pace of trading.


• JKS sank with its sector peers yesterday, settling with a 6.8% loss at $15.56, and notching an annual low of $15.30 along the way. The solar stock looks ready to bounce today, up 1.2% ahead of the bell. Boosting the shares is news JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. has inked a supply deal with Consolidated Edison, Inc. (NYSE:ED). In the options pits, short-term speculators are more put-heavy than usual. Specifically, JKS' top-heavy Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 2.33 ranks in the elevated 76th percentile of its annual range.


• Shares of ACTG are more than 10% higher in electronic trading, after its unit, Cellular Communications Equipment LLC, was awarded $22.1 million in damages in its patent infringement case against Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Heading into today's trading, ACTG stock was already up 41.5% year-to-date, and closed Wednesday at $6.07. Options traders have been especially call-heavy of late. Acacia Research Corp's SOIR of 0.34 -- showing calls nearly tripling puts among options set to expire in the next three months -- sits near the bottom one-third of all readings taken in the past year.

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