Micron Technology, Inc. (MU) breached its 200-week moving average for the first time since early 2013
Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) spiked at the open, but quickly reversed lower -- perhaps amid
poorly received earnings for fellow semiconductor name Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMAT) -- and appears on track to close south of its 200-week moving average for the first time in over two years. In fact, earlier today the shares touched an annual low of $16.82, and were last seen down 4.3% at $16.94. Amid this negative price action, option bears are on the prowl.
MU's most active strike is the out-of-the-money August 16 put, where traders are
buying to open positions. In so doing, these speculators think MU will breach $16 -- and hit even lower lows -- by next Friday's close, when the front-month options expire.
This is nothing new for MU. Over the last 10 days at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), the stock has amassed a
put/call volume ratio of 0.60, which ranks in the bearish 84th percentile of its annual range.
But not everyone's so skeptical. Almost three-quarters of covering analysts consider MU worthy of a "buy" or better rating, and its consensus 12-month price target of $28.72 stands at a 71% premium to current levels. From a contrarian perspective, Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) may be vulnerable to a
round of bearish analyst notes.