Why Investors Are Buzzing About These 5 Stocks Today

Guidance Cuts Lead to Share Price Cuts

Imperva Inc (NYSE:IMPV) is 5% lower today after the company issued a warning regarding its second quarter results. Imperva has revised its revenue estimate, reducing it to a range of $57.5 million-to-$58 million from a previous forecast of $65.5 million-to-$66.5 million. The company also said that it expects a loss of $6 million-to-$6.5 million for the quarter, or between $0.20 and $0.22 on a per-share basis. Imperva Inc (NYSE:IMPV) previously predicted a loss of $0.02-to-$0.04 per share.

“We are disappointed with our second quarter financial results, which were primarily impacted by extended sales cycles across most geographies and verticals predominantly relating to larger deals,” commented CEO Anthony Bettencourt.

The popularity of Imperva Inc (NYSE:IMPV) among the funds tracked by Insider Monkey plummeted during the first quarter, with only 15 of them having reported a long position as of the end of the quarter, down from 30 registered three months earlier.

Banco’s Strategic Development Sending Shares Higher

Investors are driving Banco Santander, S.A. (ADR) (NYSE:SAN) higher this morning after Spain’s largest lender announced the appointment of former JPMorgan executive Blythe Masters as its senior blockchain adviser. Shares are currently trading at $4.20 apiece, up by roughly 6% from yesterday’s close. Credited with the creation of Credit Default Swaps, Mr. Masters previously served on the Board of Banco Santander, S.A. (ADR) (NYSE:SAN)’s U.S arm. Blockchain is the key innovation introduced by Bitcoin and Santander is competing with other banks to find further uses for the technology. Blythe Masters is also the founder of Digital Asset Holdings, a software company that will partner with Banco Santander, S.A. (ADR) (NYSE:SAN) to find an application for the technology in the cash-equities market.

Hedge funds that we follow lost some interest in Banco Santander in the first quarter, with only 25 of them having reported a stake in the company as of the end of March, down from 31 as of the end of December.

Stock Upgrade

Shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) are up by 9% this morning after the stock was upgraded by Seaport Global Securities to ‘Neutral’ from the previous rating of ‘Sell’. The firm reduced its price target on the stock to $8.00 however, down from $9.00. Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) is trading smack dab in the middle of the current and former price targets, at $8.50 per share. Analysts at Goldman Sachs also recently adjusted their rating, lowering it to ‘Neutral’ from the previous ‘Buy’ rating and reduced their price target to $12.75 per share. The company is set to release its second quarter financial results on July 27, with analysts looking for $376 million in revenue and a loss of $0.50 per share.

Hedge fund interest in Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) picked up during the first quarter, as the number of long positions in the stock rose to 43 by the end of March from 40 at the beginning of January.

Disclosure: None