Keros Therapeutics (NASDAQ:KROS) Stock Rating Lowered by Wall Street Zen

Key Points

• Wall Street Zen downgraded Keros Therapeutics to “strong sell” from “sell,” though broader analyst sentiment remains “Hold,” with a consensus price target of $20.50.
• KROS shares opened at $11.04, near the lower end of their 52-week range, while the company reported a quarterly loss of $1.45 per share—worse than the $1.34 consensus estimate.
• Keros approved a $5 million stock buyback, allowing repurchases of up to 2.3% of outstanding shares; institutional investors own 71.56% of the company.

Keros Therapeutics (NASDAQ:KROS - Get Free Report) was downgraded by Wall Street Zen from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report released on Sunday, Wall Street Zen reports.

A number of other research firms have also recently issued reports on KROS. Leerink Partners reduced their price objective on Keros Therapeutics from $30.00 to $23.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and set a $20.00 price objective on shares of Keros Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, August 4th. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Keros Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Wells Fargo & Company reduced their target price on Keros Therapeutics from $20.00 to $18.00 and set an "overweight" rating on the stock in a report on Tuesday, August 4th. Finally, Zacks Research raised Keros Therapeutics from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $20.50.

Keros Therapeutics Trading Down 2.8%

Keros Therapeutics stock opened at $11.04 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $218.92 million, a P/E ratio of -2.98 and a beta of 1.12. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $11.27 and a 200-day moving average of $12.14. Keros Therapeutics has a 52 week low of $9.69 and a 52 week high of $22.55.

Keros Therapeutics (NASDAQ:KROS - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported ($1.45) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.34) by ($0.11). Keros Therapeutics had a negative return on equity of 21.40% and a negative net margin of 256.60%. As a group, equities analysts predict that Keros Therapeutics will post -5.27 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Keros Therapeutics declared that its Board of Directors has approved a stock buyback program on Wednesday, September 9th that allows the company to repurchase $5 million in shares. This buyback authorization allows the company to repurchase up to 2.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock buyback programs are often an indication that the company's leadership believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Transactions at Keros Therapeutics

In other news, insider Lorena Raquel Lerner sold 3,568 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, August 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $10.29, for a total transaction of $36,714.72. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 27,559 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $283,582.11. This represents a 11.46% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 5,343 shares of company stock valued at $54,985. Insiders own 12.60% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Keros Therapeutics

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of KROS. Quantinno Capital Management LP increased its position in shares of Keros Therapeutics by 12.5% during the first quarter. Quantinno Capital Management LP now owns 23,759 shares of the company's stock worth $262,000 after buying an additional 2,639 shares during the period. Legal & General Group Plc bought a new position in shares of Keros Therapeutics in the second quarter valued at approximately $90,000. PDT Partners LLC bought a new stake in Keros Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter worth about $122,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Keros Therapeutics during the 1st quarter valued at $129,000. Finally, Hsbc Holdings PLC raised its holdings in shares of Keros Therapeutics by 29.5% in the 2nd quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 69,926 shares of the company's stock worth $761,000 after purchasing an additional 15,940 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 71.56% of the company's stock.

Keros Therapeutics Company Profile

Keros Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for diseases caused by dysfunctional signaling in the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) superfamily of proteins. The company uses its research platform to design therapies intended to regulate signaling pathways involved in blood-cell production, bone health and cardiovascular function.

Keros' investigational pipeline has included elritercept (KER-050), an activin receptor type IIA ligand trap being studied for hematologic conditions such as lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes and myelofibrosis.

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