Buzz Stocks: Apollo Education Group Inc, GoPro Inc, and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Today's stocks to watch include Apollo Education Group Inc (APOL), GoPro Inc (GPRO), and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (BCRX)

Feb 8, 2016 at 9:29 AM

Today is setting up to be a brutal session on Wall Street, with a number of major tech names selling off in electronic trading. Elsewhere, University of Phoenix parent Apollo Education Group Inc (NASDAQ:APOL), camera concern GoPro Inc (NASDAQ:GPRO), and drugmaker BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:BCRX) are among the stocks to watch.

APOL is soaring on news the company will be taken private in a $1.1 billion deal with a consortium of investors, including private equity firm Apollo Global Management LLC (NYSE:APO). Specifically, the shares have added 27.6% pre-market, after closing Friday at $6.95 -- down 73% year-over-year. On Wall Street, Apollo Education Group Inc has been met with skepticism by analysts, as all six covering brokerage firms have handed out a "hold" or "sell" rating.

GPRO has tacked on 4.4% in electronic trading, after the company inked a patent licensing agreement with Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT). A day in the green would be welcomed by GoPro Inc shareholders, who watched the stock hit an all-time low of $9.01 as recently Feb. 4 following a surprise quarterly loss. Longer term, the shares have shed 85% since their annual high of $65.49 in August to land at $9.96. Not surprisingly, traders at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) have been placing bearish bets over bullish at a rapid rate. GPRO's 10-day put/call volume ratio of 0.72 outstrips four-fifths of comparable readings taken in the last year. As such, the stock could benefit if these pessimists hit the exits amid a resurgence in the shares.

BCRX is bracing for a 62.5% fall at the open, after the firm said its lead drug to treat swelling in patients with hereditary angiodema failed a late-stage trial. As such, the stock -- which closed at $6.14 on Friday -- is primed to open at a more than two-year low. This is a great development for option bears, who have been busy at the ISE, CBOE, and PHLX in recent weeks. Specifically, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 10-day put/call volume ratio of 9.49 ranks just 2 percentage points from an annual high.

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