Dick's Sporting Goods got hit with another bear note
Analysts are weighing in on retail stocks Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE:WSM) and Dick's Sporting Goods Inc (NYSE:DKS), as well as drug stock Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (ADR) (NYSE:TEVA). Here's a quick roundup of today's bearish brokerage notes on shares of WSM, DKS, and TEVA.
Analysts Unimpressed by Williams-Sonoma Earnings Beat
Shares of Williams-Sonoma are pointed 7.8% higher in pre-market trading, after the company posted stronger-than-expected second-quarter earnings, on top of strong same-store sales. Still, at least four analysts have trimmed their outlooks on WSM this morning, including a price-target cut to $48 from $50 at Morgan Stanley.
The stock just touched a four-year low of $42.69 yesterday before closing at $43.40, down more than 20% year-over-year. In the meantime, short interest has continued to rise on Williams-Sonoma, up another 11.1% during the last two reporting periods. As it stands now, short interest represents roughly one-quarter of the equity's float, standing at the highest point since mid-2008.
Dick's Stock Not in the Clear Yet
Analysts continue to weigh on DKS stock, following the company's ugly earnings release last week. Cowen this morning dropped its price target to $28 from $31, though this still stands above the shares' Wednesday close of $26.53. Year-to-date, Dick's Sporting Goods has shed half its value.
Considering the security's dismal performance on the charts, it's not surprising to see 23 of 28 covering brokerage firms hand out "hold" or "strong sell" ratings. But with an average 12-month price target of $31.44, DKS could fall victim to additional bear notes, if it doesn't turn things around quickly.
Teva Pharmaceutical Set for Fresh Lows After Downgrade
Teva Pharmaceutical stock is no stranger to underperformance, either, with the shares sporting 12-month decline of 69%, last seen at $16.49. In fact, TEVA yesterday hit a 14-year low of $16.45. The shares will likely touch fresh lows today, too, as a downgrade to "underperform" from "neutral" at Credit Suisse has them down another 2% ahead of the open. The brokerage firm also slashed its price target to $13 from $25.
In the options pits, call buying has been popular. Data from the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) shows a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 2.57 for Teva, which ranks in the high 84th percentile of its annual range. In other words, traders are bracing for, or betting on, a rebound from the equity.