Buzz Stocks: Wells Fargo & Co, Vericel Corp, and Ford Motor Company

Today's stocks to watch in the news include Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC), Vericel Corp (NASDAQ:VCEL), and Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)

Josh Selway

Dec 14, 2016 at 9:29 AM

GM
F
VCEL
WFC

U.S. stock futures are trading slightly below fair value, as traders brace for today's Fed policy decision. Among specific equities in focus today are bank stock Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC), cellular therapy issue Vericel Corp (NASDAQ:VCEL), and automaker Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F). Here's a quick look at what's driving WFC, VCEL, and F.

WFC is set to slide 1.5% out of the chute, after the company's "living will" was rejected by regulators for the second time this year. The bank will now be subject to additional business restrictions. Even if these losses materialize, Wells Fargo & Co should remain in positive year-to-date territory after closing Tuesday at $55.84, up 2.7% in 2016. Meanwhile, options traders have been betting on an upside move. WFC's 10-day call/put volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) comes in at 1.61, and ranks in the 82nd annual percentile.

Back in March, VCEL rallied as high as $6.69, thanks to positive drug trial results. Since then, however, the shares have cooled, closing Tuesday at just $2.60. They'll look to recapture some of the magic today, up 50% in pre-market trading, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved MACI, Vericel Corp's cartilage repair product. A number of former short sellers have to be breathing a sigh of relief. Short interest on the stock declined by 37.6% during the last reporting period, meaning a number of bears should dodge today's potential rally.
F is down 1% in electronic trading, on news China will penalize the company -- as well as fellow automaker General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) -- for monopolistic behavior. At $12.77, Ford Motor Company is already down 9.4% in 2016, and is fighting to maintain its perch atop the flattening 200-day moving average. Analysts have mostly taken a bearish stance on the stock. Just four of 14 brokerage firms recommend buying F, while its average 12-month price target of $12.60 sits below current levels.

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