Offshore driller McDermott is a huge loser in today's trading
Stocks are struggling today due to trade headwinds. Three of the names trading in the red today are online stylist Stitch Fix Inc (NASDAQ:SFIX), offshore drilling issue McDermott International (NYSE:MDR), and property management software provider AppFolio Inc (NASDAQ:APPF). Here's where the shares of SFIX, MDR, and APPF were trading at last check.
Amazon Hits Back at Stitch Fix
SFIX shares have dropped 4.5% to trade at $26.39 on news that Amazon.com (AMZN) is launching a personal shopping service. Stitch Fix is now set for its lowest close since early June, and is testing the 200-day moving average. Just below here is the $24 region, home to a bear gap from last month.
This should be good news for many new SFIX short sellers, who increased short interest by 19% last reporting period. At the stock's average pace of trading, it could take these bears nearly a week to cover their positions. Bears are also moving in on the options front, with new positions opening at the weekly 8/2 26- and 26.50-strike puts.
MDR Stock Near Bottom of NYSE Because of Forecast
MDR stock is getting absolutely destroyed today, down 37.6% at $6.29, as traders react to the company's surprisingly weak outlook. McDermott shares traded at their lowest point since 2004 earlier, falling down to $5.80, and put traders are likely cheering. The security's 10-day put/call volume ratio at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX) comes in at 1.38, which ranks in the bearish 80th annual percentile.
Many of these traders could be adjusting their positions today, since put volume is running at 14 times the expected rate. The most popular contract by far is the November 5 put, which was home to heavy open interest coming into today. On the call side, new positions are opening at the September 6 strike.
AppFolio Stock Sinks on Weak Sales
APPF shares are also selling off post-earnings, down 8.4% at $94.56, due to the software company's disappointing sales for the second quarter. Also weighing on the stock is a downgrade to "underperform" from "neutral" at D.A. Davidson. Even with the sell-off, the stock is 17 points above its 200-day moving average, and has a year-to-date lead of 60%.
AppFolio saw a huge increase in short interest before earnings, with the number of shorted shares rising 66% in the last reporting period. As for other analyst adjustments we could see, there are only three brokerage firms tracking the stock, so additional downgrades may be unlikely.