Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) Trading 9.2% Higher – Should You Buy?

by · The Markets Daily

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPRGet Free Report) shot up 9.2% during mid-day trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $2.99 and last traded at $2.97. 4,240,547 shares changed hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 10% from the average session volume of 4,688,567 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.72.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts recently commented on the company. Piper Sandler started coverage on Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $9.00 price target for the company. Citigroup reissued a “market outperform” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Needham & Company LLC upped their price objective on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $8.25.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on ESPR

Esperion Therapeutics Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $727.94 million, a PE ratio of -6.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.11. The stock’s fifty day moving average is $3.39 and its 200-day moving average is $3.13.

Insider Activity

In other news, CFO Benjamin Halladay sold 7,337 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.67, for a total transaction of $26,926.79. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 467,525 shares in the company, valued at $1,715,816.75. This trade represents a 1.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. In the last three months, insiders have sold 15,543 shares of company stock worth $55,709. 1.70% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. AIGH Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter valued at $7,950,000. Two Seas Capital LP increased its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 43.6% during the 2nd quarter. Two Seas Capital LP now owns 9,954,975 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $9,800,000 after purchasing an additional 3,024,104 shares during the last quarter. Royce & Associates LP purchased a new stake in Esperion Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter valued at about $6,078,000. Diametric Capital LP lifted its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 57.8% in the second quarter. Diametric Capital LP now owns 678,824 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $668,000 after buying an additional 248,648 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 40,487.0% in the third quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 31,252 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $83,000 after buying an additional 31,175 shares during the last quarter. 47.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Esperion Therapeutics

(Get Free Report)

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of oral, low–density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies. The company’s research and development efforts center on small-molecule compounds designed to address atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by targeting cholesterol biosynthesis pathways. Esperion seeks to provide novel treatment options for patients who require additional LDL-C reduction beyond what is achieved with statins or who are statin-intolerant.

The company’s lead products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid), an oral adenosine triphosphate–citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor approved by the U.S.

See Also