Today's stocks to watch in the news include T-Mobile US Inc (TMUS), B/E Aerospace Inc (BEAV), and Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (HLT)
U.S. stocks are higher as the busiest earnings week of the quarter kicks off with an M&A bang. Among equities in focus today are cell service provider T-Mobile US Inc (NASDAQ:TMUS), aircraft specialist B/E Aerospace Inc (NASDAQ:BEAV), and hotel stock Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (NYSE:HLT). Here's a quick look at what's driving TMUS, BEAV, and HLT.
- TMUS is trading 6.3% higher at $49.68 -- earlier notching a new all-time high of $50.41-- after an earnings beat, and raising its full-year forecast for customer additions. TMUS is having an outstanding 2016 so far, tacking on nearly 27% and recently finding support from its 80-day moving average. Despite its technical strength, short sellers have still been keen on TMUS, with short interest up over 6.5% in the last reporting period alone. Shorted shares now account for 7.2% of T-Mobile US Inc's (NASDAQ:TMUS) float, which would take 6.3 days of trading to cover, at TMUS' average daily rate -- plenty of fuel for a short-covering rally.
- BEAV is 16.1% higher at $58.74, following news that aviation electronics company Rockwell Collins, Inc. (NYSE:COL) plans to purchase the company for $62 a share, or a total of $6.4 billion. BEAV now sits up over 35% so far in 2016, to the dismay of short sellers. Over 9.2% of BEAV's float is sold short, which would take over two weeks to cover, at B/E Aerospace Inc's (NASDAQ:BEAV) average daily trading rate.
- HLT is trading at $23.22, 1.3% higher, on the announcement that Chinese aviation firm HNA Group would be purchasing a 25% stake in HLT from Blackstone Group LP (NYSE:BX), for a total of $6.5 billion, or $26.25 per share. Today's move puts HLT up 8.5% since the beginning of the year, although the shares seem to be encountering resistance at their 80-week moving average. In the option pits, there's likely a few bears kicking rocks after today's news, with Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc's (NYSE:HLT) 10-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) sitting at 5.91, higher than 93% of all other readings from the past year.
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