DELL announced an upbeat third-quarter earnings
The shares of Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:DELL) are up 0.1% in pre-market trading, after the company last night turned in an upbeat third-quarter report. The computer name announced earnings that easily bested Wall Street's forecasts, along with a revenue beat, after experiencing an increase of demand for desktops and laptops, alike.
In response, no fewer than six analysts have dished out price-targets hikes, including J.P. Morgan Securities to $85. Coming into today, many analysts were already optimistic on the equity. In fact, nine in coverage boasted a "buy" or better rating, while just one recommended a lukewarm "hold."
Yesterday's session saw DELL close above the $70 level for the first time since Oct. 16, and it also put the equity a few percentage points above its quarter-to-date breakeven level. Meanwhile, Dell stock has a recent bounce off the 120-day moving average to thank for its ascension this month, and in 2020 has tacked on 36.9%.
Though calls have outweighed puts in the options pits, puts seem to be all the rage, per DELL's 50-day put/call volume ratio at the
International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and
NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX). This ratio sits higher than 92% of readings from the past year, indicating puts have been purchased over calls at a faster-than-usual clip in the last 10 weeks.
Lastly, shorts are rushing toward the exits, and there is still plenty of pessimism to be unwound, which could push the security even higher. Short interest is down 42.7% in the last two reporting periods, and the 5.04 million shares sold short account for 2.9% of the stock's available float, or nearly three days' worth of pent-up buying power.