Barclays PLC Purchases 55,215 Shares of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS)

Barclays PLC grew its stake in shares of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS - Free Report) by 140.5% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 94,523 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock after purchasing an additional 55,215 shares during the period. Barclays PLC owned approximately 0.17% of Emergent BioSolutions worth $904,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in the company. Covestor Ltd lifted its holdings in Emergent BioSolutions by 5,458.5% in the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 2,946 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $28,000 after purchasing an additional 2,893 shares in the last quarter. SBI Securities Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Emergent BioSolutions during the 4th quarter valued at about $63,000. E Fund Management Co. Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Emergent BioSolutions during the 4th quarter valued at about $98,000. Cornercap Investment Counsel Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Emergent BioSolutions during the 4th quarter valued at about $115,000. Finally, LPL Financial LLC increased its stake in shares of Emergent BioSolutions by 34.5% during the 4th quarter. LPL Financial LLC now owns 15,120 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $145,000 after acquiring an additional 3,875 shares during the last quarter. 78.40% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Emergent BioSolutions news, Director Neal Franklin Fowler sold 35,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $5.83, for a total transaction of $204,050.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 101,100 shares in the company, valued at approximately $589,413. This trade represents a 25.72% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Emergent BioSolutions Stock Performance

Shares of EBS stock traded down $0.68 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $5.68. The stock had a trading volume of 1,970,206 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,908,520. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30, a current ratio of 2.88 and a quick ratio of 1.47. Emergent BioSolutions Inc. has a twelve month low of $4.02 and a twelve month high of $15.10. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $5.14 and a 200-day simple moving average of $7.90. The firm has a market capitalization of $308.63 million, a PE ratio of -1.39 and a beta of 2.09.

Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, May 7th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.71 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $0.49 by $0.22. Emergent BioSolutions had a negative net margin of 18.55% and a negative return on equity of 9.91%. The business had revenue of $222.20 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $218.50 million. As a group, equities analysts forecast that Emergent BioSolutions Inc. will post -0.63 earnings per share for the current year.

Emergent BioSolutions announced that its board has authorized a stock buyback program on Monday, March 31st that authorizes the company to repurchase $50.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the biopharmaceutical company to purchase up to 19% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are often an indication that the company's board believes its shares are undervalued.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

EBS has been the topic of several research reports. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and issued a $15.00 price target on shares of Emergent BioSolutions in a report on Tuesday, April 1st. StockNews.com lowered shares of Emergent BioSolutions from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, March 5th.

Emergent BioSolutions Company Profile

Emergent BioSolutions Inc, a life sciences company, provides preparedness and response solutions for accidental, deliberate, and naturally occurring public health threats in the United States. The company offers NARCAN Nasal Spray for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose; Vaxchora vaccine for the prevention of cholera; Vivotif vaccine for oral administration for the prevention of typhoid fever; Anthrasil for the treatment of inhalational anthrax; BioThrax, an anthrax vaccine; CYFENDUS for post-exposure prophylaxis of disease following suspected or confirmed exposure to Bacillus anthracis; and Raxibacumab injection for the treatment and prophylaxis of inhalational anthrax.