RDFN is down over 22% since the start of the month
Real estate stock Redfin Corp (NASDAQ:RDFN) is down 4.7% at $7.98 at last check, after a downgrade from Goldman Sachs to “sell” from “neutral.” The analyst in coverage noted potential headwinds from home affordability, agent commission pressures, and industry competition.
The majority of the covering brokerages carry a “neutral” rating, leaving more room for similar bear notes. Of the 17 in coverage, only two carry a “buy” or better rating, while 11 now carry a “hold,” and four a “sell” or worse.
On track for its fifth-straight drop, RDFN is down 22.8% since the start of November, a drawdown that has sent the stock below its year-to-date breakeven level. The $8 area, which was a ceiling from May-July, could move in as support, however.
Despite the 36% quarterly loss, options traders are focused on calls. On the International Securities Exchange (ISE), Chicago Board Options Exchange (CBOE), and NASDAQ OMX PHLX (PHLX), traders have bought to open 23,188 calls in the past two weeks, compared to 4,953 puts.
When weighing in on Redfin stock’s next moves, options look like a good way to go. This is per the stock’s Schaeffer’s Volatility Index (SVI) of 81%, which ranks in the low 17th percentile of its annual range, meaning options traders are pricing in low volatility expectations at the moment.