Analyst Update: Expedia, Sunedison, Dollar General

Analysts adjusted their ratings and price targets on Expedia Inc (EXPE), Sunedison Semiconductor Ltd (SEMI), and Dollar General Corp. (DG)

Mar 10, 2016 at 1:59 PM

Analysts are weighing in on travel firm Expedia Inc (NASDAQ:EXPE), chipmaker Sunedison Semiconductor Ltd (NASDAQ:SEMI), and discount retail stock Dollar General Corp. (NYSE:DG). Here's a quick roundup of today's brokerage notes on EXPE, SEMI, and DG.

EXPE is 3% higher at $108.89, after Piper Jaffray upgraded the stock to "overweight" and raised its price target to $140 from $130. Since hitting an annual low of $88.40 in early February, Expedia Inc has added 23% -- thanks in part to well-received guidance -- though it looks like it may be facing some resistance in the $111 to $112 region, home to the stock's mid-February highs. Short-term traders have been especially call-skewed. Specifically, EXPE's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.69 sits below 92% of all readings from the past year.

After a disappointing showing in the earnings confessional on Tuesday, SEMI was downgraded to "neutral" at Macquarie, while Deutsche Bank and Goldman Sachs gave the stock price-target hikes, to $10 and $7.30, respectively. Sunedison Semiconductor Ltd was last seen down 10.4% at $6.56, but has still roughly doubled from its Feb. 16 record low of $3.24. Short sellers have been upping the bearish ante since then, too, with short interest jumping 7% in the most recent reporting period.

DG is 7.8% higher at $81.10 -- and just off a new record high of $82.27 -- after reporting strong fourth-quarter earnings and raising its quarterly dividend by 14%. The stock received price-target increases from Deutsche Bank, J.P. Morgan Securities, and Sterne Agee CRT, ranging between $84 and $90 and all in never-before-seen territory. Dollar General Corp. has been on a strong uptrend since tagging an annual low of $59.75 in November, adding almost 36%. Bearish option traders could be sweating -- at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), DG's 50-day put/call volume ratio of 3.12 is in the 90th percentile of its annual range. A capitulation from this skeptical bunch could help fuel DG's fire.

For other stocks in analysts' crosshairs, read Analyst Upgrades: The Coca-Cola Co, Amedisys Inc, and Sunrun Inc and Analyst Downgrades: Freshpet Inc, Gulfport Energy Corporation, and Zafgen Inc.

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