When the stock market hits a rough patch (and I think the current period pretty much qualifies!) many companies’ shares get unfairly punished and offer incredible bargains.

Equally, however, there are the “weak hands” – companies with sub-par fundamentals, whose share prices were being unreasonably propped up by the rising tide.

Step forward, Twitter (TWTR).

The company appears to be the perfect example. Its vulnerabilities (slowing user growth, no full-time CEO, etc.) are already taking a toll. Shares have suffered the hardest among tech giants in August, dropping as much as 22%.

Editor’s Note: Yes, it’s been a rough ride for Twitter lately – and many other stocks, as well. But that’s precisely why my latest intelligence is so exciting. You see, I’ve identified seven stocks that are about to take off. Starting this week, a series of “surprise” Wall Street announcements will send these stocks soaring. Find out how.

This is one case where shares are not priced at bargain levels due to the market’s tumble. There’s plenty more downside potential yet.

In fact, if Twitter shares get dumped like those of former social media darling Yelp (YELP), the stock could tumble another 60% based on Yelp’s current price-to-sales ratio.

Here’s why I believe such an epic crash and burn is possible for Twitter – but with one important caveat…

Five Key Reasons to Short Twitter

I’ve never been a Twitter buyer because of its inflated valuation and rapidly decelerating user growth rates. Indeed, for over a year now I’ve warned about Twitter’s questionable fundamentals. Metrics that only deteriorated more noticeably with time.

In fact, the list of unenviable fundamentals keeps getting longer. Topping that list are…

  • Anemic Growth: In the most recent quarter, core monthly active users (MAUs) checked in at 304 million, up a mere two million from the previous quarter. Twitter execs, of course, tried to soften the blow by inflating MAUs using the stat that there were 12 million “SMS Fast Followers.” Nice try! Basic math reveals the underlying growth problem. Worse still, it’s not a problem that can be easily or quickly corrected, as interim CEO Jack Dorsey himself concedes: “We do not expect to see sustained meaningful growth [in MAUs] until we start to reach the mass market. We expect that will take a considerable period of time.” Forget “considerable,” it could take forever. Why? See No. 2…
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