The good times keep rolling for Turtle Beach Corp (NASDAQ:HEAR) stock. Yesterday, the gaming headset maker reported second-quarter earnings and revenue that far exceeded analyst forecasts, thanks to rising popularity in battle royale games like Fortnite, and it also significantly raised its full-year guidance. Three brokerages chimed in with price-target hikes, including Wedbush yet again, this time to $42 from $31.
In response, HEAR shares jumped out of the gate to hit a fresh four-year high of $34.50, but have since reversed course to trade at $30.27. Yesterday's 6% drop halted a five-day winning streak for the security, but overall, it still boasts an incredible 1,500% lead in 2018 alone. During the surge, which began in mid-April, the shares have relied on their 30-day moving average to contain any pullbacks.
Despite the stock's uptrend, short sellers continue to pile on. Short interest has more than doubled since June 1, and the 3.45 million shares sold short represents a whopping 39% of HEAR's total available float. A short squeeze could be in play should the weaker shorts shake loose.
In the options pits, calls have been preferred. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), speculative players have bought to open 3,647 calls in the past 10 days, compared to just 1,655 puts. However, given the large amount of short interest tied up with HEAR, it's possible some of this call buying could be shorts seeking an options hedge.