Medical Properties Trust stock is trading at its lowest level since December
Medical Properties Trust Inc (NYSE:MPW) is down 8.2% at $11.21 at last check, after the company announced disappointing fourth-quarter results, and issued a dismal 2023 forecast to boot. The security is down 43.9% year-over-year, and earlier fell to its lowest level since December. The 180-day moving average has been capping the security for much of the past 12 months, with at least three rallies losing steam near it since the beginning of 2023.
Options traders have taken an interest in the healthcare real estate investment trust (REIT), though. According to Schaeffer's Senior Quantitative Analyst Rocky White's list of S&P 400 stocks that have attracted the highest weekly options volume over the past 10 days, MPW saw 284,628 calls and 513,757 puts exchanged in that time. The most popular contract over this period was the April 10 put.
Analysts lean bullish, indicating the equity may be overdue for a round of downgrades. In fact, seven of the 11 analysts in coverage sport a "buy" or better rating. Meanwhile, the 102.70 million shares sold short account for a whopping 17.4% of the equity's available float.
It's also worth noting the equity's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) stands at 97 out of 100, suggesting Medical Properties Trust stock has exceeded option traders' volatility expectations in the past year.