Tilray Brands Inc. (TLRY) shares plummeted 18.57% in intraday trading on Friday, marking a dramatic reversal from the previous day's 22% surge. The sharp decline comes despite the cannabis company reporting better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results on Thursday, which had initially propelled the stock to new heights.
The sell-off appears to be driven by three key factors. First, investors seem to be taking profits after Thursday's significant rally. Second, Tilray filed for a mixed shelf offering with the SEC following Thursday's market close, allowing the company to issue various types of securities up to an unspecified amount. This move raised concerns about potential dilution for existing shareholders. Tilray plans to sell enough shares to raise $51.6 million, which could mean issuing up to 28.7 million new shares at current prices, potentially diluting existing shareholders by 19%.
Adding to the downward pressure, Atb Capital Markets downgraded Tilray from Sector Perform to Underperform, suggesting a less optimistic outlook for the company's near-term prospects. The combination of profit-taking, dilution fears, and the analyst downgrade appears to have overshadowed Tilray's positive earnings report, which included a surprise profit of $1.5 million and a 5% year-over-year increase in net revenue to $209.5 million. The stark contrast between Thursday's rally and Friday's plunge highlights the volatile nature of cannabis stocks and investor sensitivity to potential dilution and analyst opinions.