Analyst Downgrade Pressures Generac Stock Lower

Truist Securities downgraded Generac Holdings Inc. (NYSE:GNRC) to "hold" from "buy" this morning, and cut its price target to $145 from $160. The analyst in coverage noted a combination of higher interest rates and surging prices could threaten the manufacturing company's financials this year. Meanwhile, Stephens raised its price target to $150 from $125.

At last check, GNRC is down 4.6% at $120.99. The shares are today testing support at the 20-day moving average, after the $140 region rejected their latest rally. Year-over-year, the equity is down 58.3%.

Short sellers have been piling on Generac stock lately, with short interest up 13.6% in the last two reporting periods. The 6.88 million shares sold short now make up for 11.2% of its available float, or nearly one week's worth of pent-up buying power.

An unwinding of optimism in the options pits could pressure GNRC lower, per its 50-day call/put volume ratio of 2.57 at the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Cboe Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), which stands higher than 86% of readings from the past year.

It's also worth noting the stock's Schaeffer's Volatility Scorecard (SVS) ranks at 92 out of 100, meaning the equity has exceeded option traders' volatility expectations during the past 12 months.