Same-Store Sales Dip Devastates BBBY Stock

Bed Bath & Beyond's 5.4% drop in same-store sales missed analysts' estimates

Bed Bath & Beyond Inc. (NASDAQ:BBBY) is continuing its journey lower today, down a dramatic 26.4% to trade at $10.94 after the retailer posted a 5.4% drop in same-store sales for December and January, which was wider than analysts' forecasts. The home goods specialist cited an increase in promotional activity, slowing traffic in its brick and mortar locations, and problems with inventory management. The company does not expect to post its fourth-quarter earnings report until April 15.

The warning has brought out a slew of bear notes, with no less than six analysts covering the stock handing out price target cuts, including Wells Fargo, which slashed its price target to a Street-low $10 from $12. This put the consensus 12-month target price at $14 -- a roughly 28% premium to current levels. Coming in to today, five analysts still called BBBY a "strong buy," compared to 10 saying "hold" or worse, which could leave the door open for downgrades, should BBBY continue to fall.

Today's tumble puts Bed Bath & Beyond back near its mid-October pre-bull gap levels, and well below its 100-day moving average, which was providing a floor for the equity. For the year, BBBY is now down 36%.

Short sellers are likely celebrating today's dip. Short interest has inched 6.3% higher in the last reporting period, and the 55.62 million shares sold short represent a mind-boggling 46.1% of the stock's available float. At BBBY's average pace of trading, it would take nearly eight days to cover these bearish bets.