Weight Watchers has lost its Oprah Winfrey bump.
Shares of the New York diet company closed Thursday at $11.98 — well below the $13.92 price they enjoyed back in October after the TV star announced she was buying a 10 percent stake in the company and would become its lead pitch person.
Since the day before Winfrey bought in, Weight Watchers shares have been on a wild ride — more than quadrupling to a high of $28.05 before reversing course.
“People are trying to wrap their heads around whether this is a $50 or a $5 stock,” said Craig-Hallum analyst Alex Fuhrman. “Nothing about what has been going on with Weight Watchers is normal.”
Fuhrman’s price target is $35, and he maintains a buy rating, largely because Winfrey’s investment improved its balance sheet.
The company, though, still carries $2 billion in debt.
Winfrey said she has lost more than 23 pounds since joining Weight Watchers in August.
The stock, at least for now, has the media mogul beat.


