What Happened?
Shares of genomics company Illumina (NASDAQ: ILMN) fell 4.2% in the morning session after a Citi analyst downgraded the stock to 'Sell' from 'Neutral' and lowered the price target.
The downgrade from a major Wall Street bank signals rising concerns about the genomic sequencing company's near-term prospects. An analyst downgrade can often pressure a stock as it may lead institutional investors to reconsider their positions.
The stock market overreacts to news, and big price drops can present good opportunities to buy high-quality stocks. Is now the time to buy Illumina? Access our full analysis report here, it’s free.
What Is The Market Telling Us
Illumina’s shares are very volatile and have had 20 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 2 days ago when the stock dropped 3.6% on the news that the major indices pulled back (Nasdaq -0.8%, S&P 500 -0.77%), largely due to escalating concerns surrounding the July 9th deadline for new US tariffs, now amplified by specific announcements. Earlier in the day, President Trump confirmed that Japan and South Korea would face new 25% tariffs on their imports to the US, effective August 1st. These announcements came ahead of the broader July 9th expiration of a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs, which failed to produce comprehensive trade deals with most nations. This action against two major trading partners, coupled with the ongoing threat of further tariffs on countries associated with the BRICS bloc, injected significant uncertainty and apprehension into global markets. Investors were likely reacting to the increased costs for businesses, potential disruptions to global supply chains, and the broader implications for international trade relations.
Illumina is down 26.6% since the beginning of the year, and at $96.06 per share, it is trading 38.1% below its 52-week high of $155.15 from November 2024. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of Illumina’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $257.81.
Do you want to know what moves the business you care about? Add them to your StockStory watchlist and every time a stock significantly moves, we provide you with a timely explanation straight to your inbox. It’s free and will only take you a second.
