Thor's fiscal first-quarter earnings topped analysts' expectations
Thor Industries (NYSE:THO) is up 2% at $108.48 this morning, following an upbeat fiscal first-quarter earnings report. Specifically, the recreation vehicle (RV) name posted top- and bottom-line results that beat analysts' estimates, with a record $3.96 billion in net sales. While the company did bring up some supply chain issues, it was able to brush off concerns thanks to continued demand, as well as some recent acquisitions.
Thor Industries stock's normally quiet options pits are seeing an uptick in bearish activity in response, though. Already, 714 puts and 597 calls have crossed the tape, or five times the intraday average. Most popular is the December 100 put, followed by the 105 put from the same series.
The equity has traded sideways over the last couple of weeks, closing between the $105 and $110 levels since Nov. 23. Meanwhile, the 50-day moving average moved in as a level of pressure last month. Longer term, Thor Industries stock sports a 17% year-to-date lead. It's also worth noting that the security's Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 29 is in "oversold" territory, meaning a short-term bounce was already in the cards.
Short sellers keep piling on. Short interest is up 25% in the last two reporting periods, and the 4.97 million shares sold short account for 9.4% of the stock's available float. At the stock's average pace of trading, it would take shorts over eight days to buy back their bearish bets.