Trusting Opendoor offensive shift ‘feels like a lot to take on faith,’ says BTIG

BTIG analyst Jake Fuller says Opendoor Technologies (OPEN)’ new management going on offense by talking about buying more homes faster at better margins “struck a chord” with investors, but the firm argues that removing the guardrails “would only work” if Opendoor has cracked the code on buying the right homes at the right price in the right sort of market backdrop, which it says “feels like a lot to take on faith.” Even if one underwrites a rebound in volume to the 2022 peak at current margin targets, that would “still only pencil us out to value for the stock in the ~$5/share range,” while getting to something closer to the current price would require above-peak volume or the application of a software-type multiple on what is “a low-margin, capital-intense business,” adds the analyst, who keeps a Neutral rating on the stock.