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Valeant, Regulus Therapeutics, Transocean Downgraded

Valeant Pharmaceuticals, Regulus Therapeutics, and Transocean stocks received bearish analyst attention

May 5, 2017 at 9:45 AM
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Analysts are weighing in on drugmakers Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX) and Regulus Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:RGLS), as well as oil-and-gas stock Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of VRX, RGLS, and RIG.

JNJ News Could Be Ominous for Valeant

Wells Fargo maintained an "underperform" rating on VRX, stating Johnson & Johnson's (NYSE:JNJ) legal woes could be "bad news for VRX." Specifically, a jury ordered JNJ to pay $110 million to a Virginia woman who developed ovarian cancer after using the blue chip's talc-based products. As such, VRX stock is trading down 1.3% at $9.71 -- on track to end a relatively upbeat week on a down note. In fact, heading into today's trading, VRX stock was sporting a nearly 5% week-to-date lead. Nevertheless, the shares remain a long-term laggard, having shed more than 71% over the past 12 months.

Regulus Stock Sinks After Earnings, Management Changes

RGLS stock has plunged 32% to trade at $1.15. The stock is reacting to Regulus Therapeutics Inc's dismal earnings report, news its CEO Paul Grint will resign, and a restructuring plan that will include cutting its workforce by roughly 30%. Pouring salt on the proverbial wound is a price-target cut to $1.24 from $2 at BMO. The stock's been making its way steadily lower since a late-June bear gap, with a recent rally off its Feb. 24 all-time low of $0.94 quickly contained by its 120-day moving average. Short sellers  are in the driver's seat, too. Though RGLS stock is short-sale restricted today, short interest jumped 67% in the two most recent reporting periods, and now accounts for 13.3% of the equity's available float.

Oversold Transocean Shares Bounce

RIG touched a five-month low with oil prices on Thursday, a day after the company reported earnings. Analysts continue to weigh in, with Jefferies, Evercore ISI, RBC, and UBS cutting their price targets. However, considering the stock's 14-day Relative Strength Index (RSI) closed yesterday at 29 -- in oversold territory -- Transocean LTD shares have bounced 1.4% this morning to trade at $10.48. Considering RIG stock is still off 37% from its mid-December annual high at $16.66, sentiment toward the shares is decidedly bearish. Of the covering analysts, 85% maintain a "hold" or worse recommendation. Plus, a whopping 18% of RIG's float is currently sold short.

 

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