The cosmetics stock also reported a 20% sales decline
The shares of Revlon Inc (NYSE:REV) are down 14.3% at $10.18 this morning, after the cosmetics company reported third-quarter losses for the third consecutive time, as well a 20% sales decline. Just a few days prior, the security went surging when the company announced it had secured enough bondholders to take part in its debt restructuring program, which will ultimately help REV stave off bankruptcy.
Longer term, Revlon stock had been carving a channel of lower lows since February, guided by its descending 80-day moving average and eventually hitting a Nov. 2, 11-year-low of $3.96. Today's drop is set to snap a four-day win streak that added 87%. Year-over-year, REV remains down 57.2%.
Digging deeper, shorts have been building their positions. Short interest rose 17.1% in the last two reporting periods, and the 3.42 million shares sold short account for a hefty 50.4% of the stock's available float. In other words, it would take a week to buy back these bearish bets, at REV's average pace of trading.
Diving into today's trading, 3,124 puts have crossed the tape, which is five times what is typically seen at this point, and almost twice the number of calls exchanged. The February, 2021 2.50-strike put is by far the most popular, followed by the November 12.50-strike call.