Bausch Health Cos Inc. (NYSE:BHC) Given Average Rating of "Reduce" by Brokerages

Key Points

• Bausch Health received a consensus “Reduce” rating from seven analysts: two recommend selling and five advise holding. The average 12-month price target is $8.00.
• The company’s latest quarterly results exceeded expectations, with EPS of $1.26 versus the $0.96 consensus estimate and revenue of $2.83 billion compared with $2.59 billion expected.
• BHC shares opened at $4.67, up 3.4%, but remain near their 52-week low of $4.33. Director Frank D. Lee sold 24,456 shares, while institutional investors own 78.65% of the stock.

Bausch Health Cos Inc. (NYSE:BHC - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of "Reduce" by the seven analysts that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat.com reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating and five have issued a hold rating on the company. The average 12 month price objective among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $8.00.

BHC has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Zacks Research cut shares of Bausch Health Cos from a "hold" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Weiss Ratings cut Bausch Health Cos from a "sell (d)" rating to a "sell (d-)" rating in a research report on Monday, May 4th. Royal Bank Of Canada cut their target price on Bausch Health Cos from $10.00 to $9.00 and set a "sector perform" rating on the stock in a research report on Monday, April 27th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group raised Bausch Health Cos to a "hold" rating in a report on Wednesday, July 22nd.

Bausch Health Cos Stock Up 3.4%

BHC stock opened at $4.67 on Thursday. The company's 50 day moving average price is $4.95 and its 200 day moving average price is $5.47. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.75 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.44 and a beta of 0.42. Bausch Health Cos has a fifty-two week low of $4.33 and a fifty-two week high of $8.69. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 54.68, a quick ratio of 0.97 and a current ratio of 1.32.

Bausch Health Cos (NYSE:BHC - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, July 29th. The company reported $1.26 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $0.96 by $0.30. Bausch Health Cos had a negative net margin of 11.47% and a negative return on equity of 2,922.77%. The company had revenue of $2.83 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.59 billion. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that Bausch Health Cos will post 4.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Bausch Health Cos

In other news, Director Frank D. Lee sold 24,456 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.43, for a total value of $132,796.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 49,339 shares in the company, valued at approximately $267,910.77. This represents a 33.14% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Corporate insiders own 20.67% of the company's stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Bausch Health Cos

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Caption Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Bausch Health Cos by 101.1% in the 4th quarter. Caption Management LLC now owns 4,464 shares of the company's stock valued at $31,000 after purchasing an additional 405,789 shares during the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd lifted its stake in Bausch Health Cos by 12,589.7% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 4,949 shares of the company's stock valued at $34,000 after buying an additional 4,910 shares during the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. boosted its holdings in shares of Bausch Health Cos by 6,661.2% in the third quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 5,409 shares of the company's stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 5,329 shares during the period. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its position in shares of Bausch Health Cos by 65.9% during the second quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 7,819 shares of the company's stock worth $51,000 after acquiring an additional 3,106 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Camelot Portfolios LLC acquired a new position in shares of Bausch Health Cos in the 4th quarter valued at $59,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 78.65% of the company's stock.

Bausch Health Cos Company Profile

Bausch Health Cos Inc, formerly known as Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, is a global specialty pharmaceutical company headquartered in Laval, Quebec, Canada. The company operates through two primary segments: Ophthalmology, led by its Bausch + Lomb franchise, and Diversified Brands, which encompasses prescription dermatology, gastrointestinal, neurology and branded pharmaceutical products. Bausch Health develops, manufactures and markets a range of therapeutic and over-the-counter offerings designed to address conditions such as cataracts, dry eye, glaucoma, acne, rosacea, migraine and gastrointestinal disorders.

The Ophthalmology segment under the Bausch + Lomb name provides products for eye health, including prescription drops, contact lens care solutions, intraocular lenses, surgical instruments and diagnostic devices.

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