Bearish Bets: 2 Well-Known Stocks You Should Consider Shorting This Week

These names are at or near bearish territory based on technical patterns.

Using recent actions and grades from TheStreet's Quant Ratings and layering on technical analysis of the charts of those stocks, Trifecta Stocks identifies five names each week that look bearish.

While we will not be weighing in with fundamental analysis we hope this piece will give investors interested in stocks on the way down a good starting point to do further homework on the names.

Nektar Therapeutics

Nektar Therapeutics Inc. (NKTR)  recently was downgraded to Sell with a D rating by TheStreet's Quant Ratings.

The developer of investigational drugs for cancer and autoimmune disease had a miserable day last week after a nice surge up the prior week. The heavy volume on the down days tells the story here, and the stock is likely headed lower.

The Relative Strength Index (RSI) and moving average convergence divergence (MACD) have rolled over; a follow-through day down would probably take this stock down to the high teens, or the 100-day moving average.

A short here is good, but put in a stop at the 200-day moving average, the Wednesday high around $25.55.

Target

Target Corp. (TGT) is rated a Buy with an A- rating by TheStreet's Quant Ratings.

The big retailer announced disappointing holiday sales last week. The huge volume surge on Wednesday had the sellers quite busy, briskly dumping the stock all day long. Notice that Target stopped at the 100-day moving average, where it launched in August 2018. But unless the stock can get it together there will be more selling and a bearish outcome.

If there is follow through then Target will head to the 200-day moving average, around the $98 area. Money flow is weak and moving average convergence divergence (MACD) has been on a sell signal since December.

If TGT falls below the 100-day moving average, then this is a short.

This commentary is an excerpt from "5 Bearish Bets" a weekly feature sent to subscribers of Trifecta Stocks. Click here to learn more about this portfolio, trading ideas and market commentary product.

Want to find out the three other stocks we think look good short this week and how to play them? Click here for a trial subscription to Trifecta Stocks and get "Bearish Bets" each week!

-- Bob Lang and Chris Versace are co-portfolio managers of Trifecta Stocks.

At the time of publication, Lang and Trifecta stocks had no positions in the securities mentioned.