Buzz Stocks: Apple Inc., TherapeuticsMD Inc, and DryShips Inc.

Today's stocks to watch in the news include Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), TherapeuticsMD Inc (NYSEMKT:TXMD), and DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS)

Josh Selway

Dec 6, 2016 at 9:27 AM

U.S. stock futures are signaling a slightly higher open, as traders digest the latest economic data. Among specific equities in focus today are iPhone maker Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL), women's health issue TherapeuticsMD Inc (NYSEMKT:TXMD), and shipping stock DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS). Here's a quick look at what's driving AAPL, TXMD, and DRYS.

AAPL is up 1% in electronic trading, after CEO Tim Cook said the Apple Watch is on pace for its best quarter ever after a record-setting first week of holiday shopping sales. Meanwhile, Credit Suisse reiterated its "outperform" assessment and $150 price target, saying it sees strong earnings for the company through next year's iPhone cycle. Apple Inc. closed Monday at $109.11, down 7.8% since this time last year. In the options pits, traders have been more interested in long puts than normal. Specifically, AAPL's 10-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) is 0.79, which ranks in the 88th annual percentile.

TXMD is eyeing a 20% pop when the market opens, after the company announced positive results for its treatment for vasomotor symptoms in a late-stage study. The shares were in serious need of a boost, as they had lost 40.5% year-to-date to trade at $6.17. Goldman Sachs and Stifel expect more upside, too, raising their respective price targets to $13 and $17. This bullish attention is nothing new for TherapeuticsMD Inc, as all covering brokerage firms recommend buying the stock.

DRYS is gaining 7.8% ahead of the open, on reports Morgan Stanley has taken a 6.1% passive stake in the company. It's been a wild 12 months for the stock, which was trading above $400 per share last December, but closed Monday at just $4.60, despite a post-election surge. Options volume on DryShips Inc. has been extremely light on an absolute basis, but the activity that has taken place has centered around calls. By the numbers, 1,142 DRYS call options have been purchased during the past two weeks at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX, compared to just 15 puts.

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