Sandisk Corporation (NASDAQ:SNDK) stock was down more than 5% in Tuesday’s premarket session as investors pulled back from high-beta technology stocks following a strong multi-month rally. Nasdaq futures fell 1.11%, while S&P 500 futures slipped 0.24%.
The weakness also followed declines in South Korean memory-chip makers after Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.’s (OTC:SSNLF) preliminary second-quarter results sparked a “sell-the-news” reaction, even as the company reported a sharp jump in operating profit.
With broader market sentiment turning risk-off, traders appeared to be locking in gains across technology stocks. Sandisk’s sharp rally over the past year has left the stock vulnerable to profit-taking during periods of weaker market sentiment.
The longer-term trend remains positive. However, the recent weakness suggests the stock is undergoing a short-term reset rather than beginning a new breakout.
Technical Picture Remains Bullish
Sandisk continues to trade well above its longer-term moving averages. The stock is 41.5% above its 100-day simple moving average of $1,163.00 and 131.2% above its 200-day SMA of $711.62.
Shares remain just 1.2% above the 50-day SMA of $1,625.76. That level could serve as an important support area if selling pressure continues.
Near-term momentum has weakened. Sandisk trades 15.7% below its 20-day SMA of $1,950.95, reflecting a pullback from its June highs. Even so, the 20-day SMA remains above the 50-day SMA, indicating the broader uptrend is still intact.
The relative strength index stands at 46.93, signaling neutral momentum. The reading suggests the stock has cooled but is not yet in oversold territory.
Key resistance sits near $1,861.00, while immediate support is around $1,514.50.
Earnings And Analyst Forecast
The next major catalyst is the company’s estimated August 13 earnings report.
Wall Street expects earnings of $33.38 per share, up from 29 cents a year earlier, on revenue of $8.24 billion versus $1.90 billion last year. The stock trades at approximately 59.6 times earnings, reflecting a premium valuation.
Analysts remain broadly bullish. The consensus rating is Buy, with an average price forecast of $1,755.75. Recent analyst actions include:
- Bank of America maintained a Buy rating and raised its price forecast to $2,500 on July 1.
- Bernstein maintained an Outperform rating and lifted its price forecast to $3,000 on June 30.
- Citigroup maintained a Buy rating and increased its price forecast to $2,500 on June 25.
Benzinga Edge And ETF Exposure
According to Benzinga Edge, Sandisk carries a Momentum score of 99.97, reflecting its strong long-term trend. Its Value score is 6.42, indicating the stock screens as expensive on traditional valuation measures.
Sandisk is also a significant holding in several exchange-traded funds, including the Roundhill Memory ETF (NASDAQ:DRAM), where it represents a 5.42% weighting, the Invesco S&P 500 Pure Growth ETF (NYSE:RPG) at 7.29%, and the First Trust US Equity Opportunities ETF (NYSE:FPX) at 7.74%. Large ETF inflows or outflows can amplify buying and selling activity in the stock.
SNDK Stock Price Activity: Sandisk shares were down 5.29% at $1652.12 during premarket trading on Tuesday, according to Benzinga Pro data.
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