Adamas Pharmaceuticals stock is near the bottom of the Nasdaq
U.S. stocks are struggling today, with the S&P 500's winning streak in jeopardy. Among individual names, pharmaceutical stock Adamas Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ADMS) is sinking, while drugmaker Voyager Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VYGR) and integrated circuit specialist Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:ADI) are surging higher. Here's a closer look at what shares of ADMS, VYGR, and ADI are reacting to today.
Rival FDA Nod Sinks Adamas Pharmaceuticals Stock
Adamas Pharmaceuticals stock is down 18.6% to trade at $27.48 -- near the bottom of the Nasdaq -- after rival Osmotica received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its Osmolex drug. Although Mizuho reiterated its "buy" rating and does not view the competing drug as a threat, ADMS stock is pacing for its worst single-day performance since 2014, and is on track to close below its 120-day moving average for the first time since August.
There are plenty of shorts cheering today's decline. Although ADMS is short-sale restricted today, more than 62% of the stock's float is dedicated to short interest, representing 6.6 times the equity's average daily pace of trading.
Morgan Stanley Sees Record Highs for VYGR Stock
Voyager Therapeutics stock is up 25% to trade at $24.28 -- on track for their biggest one-day gain since Sept. 6, one of the best stocks on the Nasdaq today -- after the company partnered with AbbVie (ABBV) to develop treatments for Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases. In response, Morgan Stanley upped its price-target on VYGR to $39 from $36, uncharted territory for the drug stock.
Meanwhile, VYGR shares have more than doubled since their mid-November lows, and a short squeeze could propel them even higher. Short interest has tripled since August, and represents nearly 10% of the stock's total available float. At VYGR's average trading volume, it would take more than week to buy back these bearish bets.
Bullish Bernstein Rating Boosts Analog Devices Stock
Shares of Analog Devices are up 3.5% to trade at $89.09, after Bernstein upgraded the stock to "outperform" from "market perform," and raised its price target to $105 from $90. The new price target represents expected upside of 18% from the stock's current perch, and a record-high level. The analyst noted that ADI stock has underperformed its sector peers in the past year, which "creates a favorable setup for investors."
Today's pop has Analog Devices shares extending a bounce off their 200-day moving average, and options traders have been betting on even bigger gains. At the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), ADI stock's 10-day call/put volume ratio of 8.39 ranks in the 79th annual percentile, meaning calls have been bought to open over puts at a rapid-fire rate in recent weeks.