Pacira BioSciences (NASDAQ:PCRX) Stock Rating Raised to "Neutral" at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Key Points

• JPMorgan upgraded Pacira BioSciences to “neutral” from “underweight” and set a $36.50 price target, implying roughly 0.3% upside from the prior close.
• Pacira shares surged 44.4% to $36.39, near the proposed $36.50-per-share cash acquisition by Viatris, which values the company at approximately $1.65 billion and is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to conditions.
• Analyst opinion remains mixed, with a consensus “hold” rating and $31.61 target price; Pacira’s latest quarterly results nevertheless beat expectations, reporting $0.73 in adjusted earnings per share and $192.4 million in revenue.

Pacira BioSciences (NASDAQ:PCRX - Get Free Report) was upgraded by research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from an "underweight" rating to a "neutral" rating in a research note issued on Thursday, Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a $36.50 target price on the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s price objective indicates a potential upside of 0.30% from the company's previous close.

A number of other analysts have also issued reports on PCRX. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and issued a $38.00 price target on shares of Pacira BioSciences in a research note on Wednesday, July 1st. Truist Financial lifted their target price on Pacira BioSciences from $30.00 to $31.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday. Zacks Research lowered Pacira BioSciences from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Monday. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Pacira BioSciences from a "buy" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research note on Saturday, September 26th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada boosted their price objective on shares of Pacira BioSciences from $24.00 to $25.00 and gave the company a "sector perform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 5th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, six have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Pacira BioSciences currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $31.61.

Pacira BioSciences Stock Up 44.4%

PCRX stock traded up $11.19 during trading on Thursday, reaching $36.39. The stock had a trading volume of 28,867,028 shares, compared to its average volume of 802,928. The company has a current ratio of 5.04, a quick ratio of 3.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $25.18 and a 200 day moving average price of $24.41. The company has a market capitalization of $1.45 billion, a P/E ratio of 103.97 and a beta of 0.25. Pacira BioSciences has a 1-year low of $18.80 and a 1-year high of $36.46.

Pacira BioSciences (NASDAQ:PCRX - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, August 4th. The company reported $0.73 earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.65 by $0.08. Pacira BioSciences had a return on equity of 9.68% and a net margin of 1.96%.The company had revenue of $192.40 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $191.06 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned $0.74 earnings per share. The company's revenue was up 6.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities analysts anticipate that Pacira BioSciences will post 1.91 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Pacira BioSciences news, insider Jonathan Slonin sold 3,040 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $23.23, for a total transaction of $70,619.20. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 216,384 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,026,600.32. The trade was a 1.39% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Insiders own 6.40% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pacira BioSciences

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in PCRX. Meeder Asset Management Inc. acquired a new stake in Pacira BioSciences in the 1st quarter valued at about $46,000. Global Retirement Partners LLC bought a new stake in shares of Pacira BioSciences during the 2nd quarter worth $51,000. State of Wyoming purchased a new stake in shares of Pacira BioSciences during the second quarter valued at $78,000. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. increased its stake in Pacira BioSciences by 15.1% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 3,751 shares of the company's stock worth $85,000 after purchasing an additional 492 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Pacira BioSciences during the second quarter valued at approximately $110,000. 99.73% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

More Pacira BioSciences News

Here are the key news stories impacting Pacira BioSciences this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Viatris agreed to acquire Pacira for $36.50 per share in cash, valuing the equity at approximately $1.65 billion. The transaction offers shareholders a defined cash exit and places the stock close to the proposed purchase price. The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026, subject to customary conditions. Viatris Agrees to Acquire Pacira BioSciences
• Positive Sentiment: The acquisition gives Viatris control of Pacira’s marketed non-opioid pain medicines, Exparel and Zilretta. Viatris expects to use its international infrastructure and commercial capabilities to expand the products, while citing potential synergies with its fast-acting meloxicam opportunity. Viatris to Buy Pacira BioSciences for $1.65 Billion
• Neutral Sentiment: Needham reaffirmed its “hold” rating. Earlier, Truist raised its target to $31 and maintained a “buy” rating, but that target is below the proposed takeover price.
• Negative Sentiment: Ademi LLP and Halper Sadeh LLP announced investigations into whether the $36.50 offer fairly values Pacira, whether directors adequately protected shareholders, and whether insiders received favorable benefits. These announcements could increase deal-related uncertainty, although shareholder law-firm investigations are common after public takeovers. PCRX Shareholder Alert: Ademi LLP Investigation
• Negative Sentiment: Unusual options activity indicated bearish positioning in PCRX, while Zacks recently downgraded the stock to “strong sell.” These signals are secondary to the acquisition announcement but highlight potential concerns about valuation or deal risk.

About Pacira BioSciences

Pacira BioSciences, Inc is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing non-opioid pain-management products. The company's portfolio is designed to help manage acute and chronic pain while reducing reliance on traditional opioid therapies.

Its principal product is EXPAREL, an extended-release formulation of bupivacaine used to provide postsurgical pain relief. Pacira also markets ZILRETTA, an extended-release corticosteroid injection for osteoarthritis-related knee pain, and the iovera° system, a handheld cryoanalgesia device intended to temporarily block peripheral nerves and provide targeted pain relief.

Originally known as Pacira Pharmaceuticals, the company adopted the name Pacira BioSciences in 2018 to reflect its broader focus on innovative therapies and technologies.

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