Buzz Stocks: Hertz Global Holdings Inc, Hatteras Financial Corp., and Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc

Today's stocks to watch in the news include Hertz Global Holdings Inc (NYSE:HTZ), Hatteras Financial Corp. (NYSE:HTS), and Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX)

Josh Selway

Apr 11, 2016 at 9:57 AM

Stocks are moving higher this morning, as first-quarter earnings season prepares to kick off. Meanwhile, among specific equities in focus are car rental stock Hertz Global Holdings Inc (NYSE:HTZ), real estate investment trust (REIT) Hatteras Financial Corp. (NYSE:HTS), and biotech stock Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc (NYSE:VRX).

HTZ is down 5% this morning at $9.21, after the company warned that first-quarter earnings would likely disappoint. Disappoint is exactly what the stock has done in the past 12 months, losing well over half its value, while touching a six-year low of $6.95 on Feb. 11. Short sellers have been piling on amid this underperformance. For instance, short interest on Hertz Global Holdings Inc jumped by 22% in the most recent two-week reporting period.

HTS is surging this morning, on news Annaly Capital Management, Inc. (NYSE:NLY) will buy the company for $1.5 billion -- or $15.85 per share. On the charts, HTS had been trending lower for almost three years, before bottoming at an all-time low of $10.54 in January. However, thanks to today's 10% M&A-related pop, the shares were last seen at $15.67. Short-term options traders, meanwhile, have shown a preference for puts over calls on Hatteras Financial Corp. The stock's gamma-weighted Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 4.00 indicates near-the-money put open interest quadruples call open interest in the front three-months' series of options.

VRX is trading 1.4% lower at $33.20, following news the company's outgoing CEO Michael Pearson may be held in contempt by a Senate committee. VRX's technical woes have been well documented, with the shares losing roughly two-thirds of their value in 2016. Regardless, some analysts continue to back Valeant Pharmaceuticals Intl Inc, with five brokerage firms issuing a "strong buy" recommendation, while VRX's average 12-month price targets stands at almost two times current levels at $64.61.

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