CELH could be a downgrade risk going forward
Celsius Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:CELH) is down 3.7% at $25.78 at last glance, after a downgrade from TD Cowen to "hold" from "buy," to go with a price-target cut to $29 from $40. The firm cited a sales slowdown, as well as increased competition from Alani Nu and other brands.
Today's drop has CELH coming very close to its Nov. 18 two-year low of $25.23, though a floor of support at the $25 level has been in place for the last few months. Year over year, the equity is down roughly 51%, and is a far cry from its March 14 record high of $99.61.
There is room for more analysts to change their tune, which could in turn weigh on the stock. Of the 18 brokerages covering CELH, 14 maintain a "buy" or better, rating, with zero "sells" on the books. Plus, the equity's 12-month consensus price target of $39.20 is a 51% premium to its current perch.
Call traders are brushing off the downgrade, with 23,000 calls exchanged so far today, compared to 7,990 puts. Overall, options volume is running at double what's typically seen at this point. The February 30 call is the most popular, followed by the February 40 call, with new positions opening at the weekly 1/24 26-strike call.
Options look like a good way to go when weighing in on Celsius stock. The security's Schaeffer's Volatility Index (SVI) of 65% ranks in the low 22nd percentile of its annual range, meaning options traders are pricing in low volatility expectations. The stock has tended to exceed these expectations over the past year, too, per its Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) of 97 out of 100.