Plug Power Inc. (PLUG) can't seem to catch a break. Shares dropped more than 8% Monday, capping off a rough month that's seen the hydrogen fuel cell company lose over 35% of its value.
Mixed Signals From Recent Results
The company reported third quarter earnings on November 10, posting a loss of 12 cents per share. That actually beat analyst expectations of a 13-cent loss, so at least there's that. But revenue came in at $177.06 million, falling short of the $179.53 million consensus estimate. In the world of Wall Street, missing the top line rarely goes unpunished.
Susquehanna analyst Biju Perincheril maintained a Neutral rating following the report but slashed his price target from $3.50 to $2.50. That new target is looking increasingly generous as shares trade around $2.07.
Good News That Nobody Cares About
Monday brought what should have been positive news: Plug secured a 55-megawatt electrolyzer supply agreement for three large green hydrogen projects being developed by Carlton Power in the United Kingdom. It's the largest combined electrolyzer award announced in the country to date. Yet the market yawned, and shares kept sliding anyway.
The Technical Picture Looks Grim
From a technical perspective, things aren't pretty. The stock is trading about 23.5% below its 50-day moving average of $2.71, which screams bearish momentum. The 200-day moving average sits at $1.70, meaning shares are still roughly 22% above that longer-term trendline—potentially offering some support if the selling accelerates.
The Relative Strength Index stands at 38.36, hovering in neutral territory but inching toward oversold levels. If buying interest materializes, that could signal a reversal, but there's little evidence of that happening yet.
With no obvious support levels from recent trading, the 50-day moving average becomes critical. If the stock breaks below that convincingly, more selling pressure could follow. On the upside, resistance likely sits at the psychological $2.50 level or the 52-week high of $4.58.
How Does It Stack Up?
Plug Power's market cap of $3.12 billion makes it one of the larger players in the hydrogen fuel cell space, alongside peers like Ballard Power Systems and FuelCell Energy. Year-to-date, shares are down 10.9%, reflecting what's been a challenging period for investors betting on the hydrogen economy.
The next few trading sessions will be telling. A sustained move below the 50-day moving average could trigger more pain, while a bounce off that level might suggest the bleeding is slowing. For now, investor sentiment remains decidedly cautious.