The stock market is often a fickle beast, and for Mercury Systems (US:MRCY), a turbulent period of strategic review and executive transitions has added fuel to the market’s fire.

The MRCY stock price initially fell more than 20% on June 23 after the aerospace and defense company announced the conclusion of its strategic alternatives review, deciding to retain its independence after 40 different parties were approached and 20 reviewed Mercury as a potential acquisition target.

With that decision set, a wave of executive departures followed. CEO Mark Aslett tendered his resignation. Board member Bill Ballhaus is slated to take the helm as Interim President and CEO. The board has appointed Gerard DeMuro, co-CEO of Eve Air Mobility, as an independent director. The announcement of a new CFO is promised in the coming weeks

As of this morning’s market open, the five-day share decline hovers just above 12%; for the year to date, MRCY stock is down 26.5%.

Last Hope

At least one analyst, JP Morgan’s Seth Seifman, reacted swiftly to the news, downgrading MRCY’s rating from ‘neutral’ from ‘overweight’ and reduced the target price to $37 from $56.

“Our remaining hope for the Mercury turnaround story was a sale of the company, but Mercury was unable to find a buyer,” Seifman said. He voiced concerns about the company’s lack of clarity regarding the path forward and the outlook for sales, profitability and cash flow.

With the stock now trading under $33 a share, Fintel’s consensus target of $52.47 is likely to drift lower in the coming days as more analysts update valuations and outlooks on the stock.

With Mercury’s strategic shift and executive reshuffle, both bullish and bearish indicators for the company’s stock are evident. On the bullish side, the executive changes indicate a promising shift in the company’s strategy.

As Seifman pointed out, this downswing could offer an opportunity “for a quick trade if it overshoots to the downside or for the long term if a new CEO can re-establish Mercury’s value proposition to the market.” The appointment of Ballhaus, a highly regarded board member, and the impending naming of a new CFO, position the company for robust execution as an independent entity.

Raised Concerns

On the bearish side, however, the failed sale attempt has raised concerns about the strength of the underlying EBITDA, hinting at potential significant restructuring.

With notable activist investors like JANA Partners and Starboard Value reducing their stakes, there seems to be a cloud of uncertainty hovering over Mercury’s near-term prospects.

These and other factors have contributed to a weak Fund Sentiment Score of 48.45 for the stock on Fintel’s dashboard, ranking MRCY in the bottom half of 36,243 other globally screened securities. Other stocks with much higher scores are highlighted on the quant metric’s leaderboard.

Notwithstanding these risks, Mercury remains a national security strategic asset poised to benefit from the U.S. Department of Defense’s modernization initiatives. The changes, while likely to put pressure on the share price in the near-term, might set the stage for outperformance in the long run.

Follow Management Strategy

Investors can easily track the progression of the new managements’ strategy shift by following Fintel’s financial metrics and ratios page for MRCY stock, showing the financial trends in easily digestible charts.

The inability to find a buyer might initially appear as a suboptimal outcome, the change in leadership might appeal to current shareholders and even attract new investors. The prospect of a new CEO could provide assurance that a new direction and operating cadence will be established, offering a sense of stability amidst a sea of change.

That being said, there are also near-term risks as the new management might have to tackle potentially more profound underlying issues that have hampered Mercury’s valuation. With the fourth-quarter results in the offing, investors will be watching closely for any further one-time charges that may arise.

Regardless of the initial market reaction, the strategic shift and leadership changes signal an important inflection point for Mercury Systems.

It’s a moment of intense scrutiny but also a moment of opportunity as the company charts a fresh course forward. And while the market’s initial reaction has been unfavorable, this new chapter may yet herald a more prosperous future for the embattled firm.

This article originally appeared on Fintel

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