This Stock Could Squeeze Short Sellers Next Week

Core Viewpoint - Urban Outfitters, Inc. (NASDAQ:URBN) stock has experienced a 3% decline to $73.16 following a downgrade by Citigroup from "buy" to "neutral," although the price target was raised to $76 from $75. This downgrade comes just before the company's second-quarter earnings report, which is anticipated to be released on August 27 [1] Group 1: Stock Performance and Market Sentiment - The stock has a historical average post-earnings move of 11.5% over the last two years, with the last three earnings reports resulting in upward movements, including a notable 22.9% increase in May. The options market is currently pricing in a larger than usual post-earnings move of 15.4% for the upcoming report [2] - The stock reached a record high of $80.71 on August 7 but has been consolidating around this level prior to the recent pullback. Year-to-date, URBN shares are up 33% [4] - A short squeeze could potentially drive the stock to new heights, as short interest has decreased by 5.3%, yet 10.8 million shares sold short represent 18.1% of URBN's total float. It would take shorts over five trading days to cover their positions at the current trading pace [6] Group 2: Analyst Ratings and Market Expectations - Following the downgrade, six out of twelve brokerages covering URBN maintain "hold" ratings, with a consensus 12-month price target of $76.83, indicating only a 5% premium to the current price. Given the stock's 81% gain over the past year, a positive earnings report could lead to a surge in bullish analyst ratings [7] - The options market shows a significant increase in call options, with a 10-day call/put volume ratio of 6.72, which is above 93% of readings from the past year, indicating strong bullish sentiment among traders [3]