Karyopharm Therapeutics, Habit Restaurants, Macy's Stocks Moving Today

Climbing rate-hike odds for March are weighing on the Dow after Fed Chair Janet Yellen's speech, but the blue-chip index is still on track for a healthy weekly gain. Among specific equities in focus are drug stock Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:KPTI), restaurant issue Habit Restaurants Inc (NASDAQ:HABT), and retailer Macy's Inc (NYSE:M). Here's a quick look at what's moving shares of KPTI, HABT, and M.

Disappointing Trial Results Weigh on Karyopharm Therapeutics

KPTI is down 16.5% at $11.56 -- among the worst performers on the Nasdaq today, and on the short-sale restricted (SSR) list -- after the company reported a phase 2 trial of its leukemia drug, selinexor, will not achieve its main goal. The news was met by price-target cuts from at least four brokerage firms, including H.C. Wainwright, which set the lowest target, at $14. Analysts are largely optimistic toward the stock, though, with seven out of eight firms rating Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc a "buy" or better. The shares popped to an annual high of $14.63 on Thursday, and even with today's losses are sitting on a 46.7% year-over-year lead. 

Earnings Help Habit Restaurants Retake Key Trendline

A fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat has HABT soaring 11.6% to $15.40, making it one of the Nasdaq's top percentage gainers. The shares are on pace to close above the 100-day moving average -- which ushered Habit Restaurants Inc lower from mid-2015 through late 2016 -- for the first time in seven weeks. Short sellers could be sweating, considering 14.5% of the stock's total float is wrapped up in these bearish bets, accounting for nearly seven sessions' worth of trading, at HABT's average daily volume. Still, the 1.8 million shares sold short represents the lowest short interest level on record since the stock began trading publicly in 2014.

Financing Snag Puts a Potential Macy's Buyout on Hold

Shares of M are sliding 5.9% to $31.27 on reports Canadian firm Hudson's Bay has not been able to square up a buyout bid for the retailer. M&A buzz gave Macy's Inc a boost one month ago, but the stock has failed to gain traction since then, down 30% over the past 12 months. As such, the brokerage bunch has been no better than lukewarm toward M, with 11 out of 13 firms calling the shares a "hold."