The stocks are sitting out today's rally in the broader equities market
Stocks are looking to extend their weekly win streaks on positive U.S.-China trade news. Among individual names making notable moves are Sharpie maker Newell Brands Inc (NASDAQ:NWL), online car-shopping specialist TrueCar Inc (NASDAQ:TRUE), and cloud concern LogMeIn Inc (NASDAQ:LOGM), which are are all near the bottom of the Nasdaq after earnings. Here's a closer look at how the shares of NWL, TRUE, and LOGM are faring on the charts.
Newell Brands Sinks After Revenue, Guidance Miss
Newell Brands stock is down 20.7% to trade at $17.21, set for its biggest one-day drop since January 2018. The company earlier reported a fourth-quarter revenue miss and disappointing full-year forecast -- citing dreary Graco sales following the Toys "R" Us bankruptcy, a stronger U.S. dollar, and increased costs related to U.S. tariffs -- which are offsetting an adjusted profit beat for the three-month stretch.
NWL options volume is on fire in reaction to today's volatile stock move, with 32,379 calls and 37,582 puts traded at last check -- 12 times what's typically seen, and total volume pacing in the 100th annual percentile. The March 16 put is most active, due to what appears to be a 15,199-contract block that was sold to open for 30 cents apiece.
If this is the case, the put writer will retain the $455,970 (number of contracts * premium received * 100 shares per contract) credit collected if Newell Brands stays above the strike through March options expiration. Risk, meanwhile, can be quite substantial on a breach of $16 -- a level that roughly coincides with the stock's six-year lows from October.
Analysts Rush to Downgrade TrueCar Stock After Earnings
TrueCar last night reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings and revenue that fell short of estimates. The company also said it took a 20% stake in Accu-Trade. Analysts were quick to chime in on TRUE stock, and the attention has been mostly bearish. While RBC, Craig-Hallum, and B. Riley FBR downgraded the equity to the equivalent of a "hold," at least eight TRUE price-target cuts were issued.
Against this backdrop, TrueCar shares have spiraled 23.2% to trade at $7.86, earlier hitting a two-year low of $7.72. Plus, the stock has erased its year-to-date lead, and is headed toward its worst session since November 2017. Short sellers are likely cheering. Though TRUE is short-sale restricted today, short interest shot 45.9% higher in the two most recent reporting periods to 11 million shares, a whopping 22.2% of the equity's available float.
LogMeIn Options Hot During Sell-Off
LogMeIn stock has slumped 15% to trade at $81.50, after the company gave weak current-quarter and full-year profit guidance, even as its fourth-quarter adjusted earnings beat estimates. LOGM also set a target for double-digit organic growth this year, which RBC said could impact profitability. The brokerage firm cut its price target to $85 from $90, saying, "the stock will likely remain a 'show me' story." J.P. Morgan Securities also cut its LOGM price target, to $80 from $96.
A number of options traders today appear to be betting on a quick bounce for LOGM stock. Amid heavy volume -- the 7,211 contracts traded so far is six times what's typically seen at this point -- buy-to-open activity has been detected at the March 85 call. If this is the case, the call buyers will profit on a move back above $85 over the next four weeks.