CFRA raised its rating on BBBY to "buy" from "hold"
The shares of Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBY) are up 5.2% this morning, last seen trading at $30.42, as the retailer gears up for its first-quarter earnings report, which is due out before the market open on Wednesday, June 30. Bed Bath & Beyond got an upgrade ahead of the event, where the company is expected to post earnings of 8 cents per share as well as a rise in revenue.
Specifically, CFRA raised its rating on BBBY to "buy" from "hold," with the firm noting the one-time meme stock has the potential to rally nearly 40%. The analyst noted that BBBY can boost its digital experience by executing major brand inclusions, adding that efforts to initiate private brand products could help boost margins.
Coming into today, that bullishness was not shared by the brokerage bunch, as 10 of the 11 in coverage rated the security a tepid "hold" or worse. An unwinding of this pessimism could propel the stock higher, as there's plenty of room for additional upgrades going forward.
A short squeeze has the potential to put additional wind at the security's back, too. In the last two reporting periods, short interest rose 15.4%, and the 33.35 million shares sold short account for a hefty 32.3% of the stock's available float.
Looking back, the stock has a history of negatives post-earnings swings after quarterly reports during the past two years. This includes a two consecutive dips of more than 10%, in January and April 2020. The security averaged a 14.5% next-day move, regardless of direction, during this time period. This time around, the options pits are pricing in a gigantic, 22.9% next-day shift.
On the charts, BBBY has already added 69.7% year-to-date. Though it faced pressure from the 50-day moving average in much of April and May, this trendline is back in place as a layer of support. Now, the equity is on track to lock in its fifth daily win in six sessions.