The company is pausing its agreement with Mercedes-Benz
Rivian Automotive Inc (NASDAQ:RIVN) is pausing its electric vehicle (EV) plans in Europe with Mercedes-Benz. Rivian said it would "no longer pursue" its agreement with the luxury automaker, which was made just three months ago. CEO RJ Scaringe stated that "at this point in time, we believe focusing on our consumer business, as well as our existing commercial business, represent the most attractive near-term opportunities to maximize value,” but added the company is still open to exploring a partnership with Mercedes-Benz in the future.
RIVN is down 3% at $26.47 at last glance, and earlier dipped as low as $25.88. This negative price action has shares below the $27 level, which was an area of pressure earlier this year before flipping into support in early July. The stock's 180-day moving average has also acted as pressure in recent months. Year-to-date, the equity is down 74.5%.
An unwinding of optimism among options traders could provide headwinds. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), 2.29 calls have been picked up for every put in the last 10 days. This ratio ranks higher than 86% of readings from the past year, showing calls being picked up at a rapid rate.
Analysts are mostly optimistic toward Rivian stock. Of the 15 analysts in coverage, six carry a "hold" or worse rating, while nine say "buy" or better, meaning the security could still see downgrades. There is plenty of room for bear notes in the form of price-target cuts, too, as the 12-month consensus price target of $46.61 is a 76.2% premium to current levels.