CEL-SCI (NYSE:CVM) Trading 15.5% Higher - Here's Why

Key Points

• CEL-SCI Co. shares rose by 15.5% on Friday, reaching a high of $9.50 during trading, an increase in volume compared to previous sessions.
• Wall Street analysts have issued a "sell" rating for CEL-SCI, even as the company's stock performance improves and CEO Geert R. Kersten made a significant stock purchase.
• Institutional ownership of CEL-SCI increased, with Thoroughbred Financial Services raising its stake by 40.1% in the last quarter, now owning 0.26% of the shares.

CEL-SCI Co. (NYSE:CVM - Get Free Report)'s stock price traded up 15.5% during trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $9.50 and last traded at $9.45. 521,184 shares changed hands during trading, an increase of 37% from the average session volume of 380,418 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.18.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Separately, Wall Street Zen assumed coverage on shares of CEL-SCI in a research note on Friday, May 16th. They set a "sell" rating for the company.

CEL-SCI Trading Down 2.1%

The stock has a market capitalization of $49.22 million, a P/E ratio of -19.27 and a beta of 0.51. The firm's 50 day moving average price is $3.59 and its 200 day moving average price is $7.12. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66, a current ratio of 1.07 and a quick ratio of 1.09.

Insider Transactions at CEL-SCI

In related news, CEO Geert R. Kersten purchased 29,197 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, July 25th. The stock was bought at an average cost of $6.85 per share, with a total value of $199,999.45. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 72,835 shares in the company, valued at approximately $498,919.75. This represents a 66.91% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 9.93% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On CEL-SCI

A hedge fund recently raised its stake in CEL-SCI stock. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC boosted its holdings in CEL-SCI Co. (NYSE:CVM - Free Report) by 40.1% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The firm owned 191,661 shares of the company's stock after purchasing an additional 54,900 shares during the quarter. Thoroughbred Financial Services LLC owned about 0.26% of CEL-SCI worth $76,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. 12.08% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About CEL-SCI

CEL-SCI Corporation, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the research and development of immune system therapy for the treatment of cancer and other diseases in the United States. The company's lead immunotherapy is Multikine, which has completed Phase 3 clinical trials for the potential treatment of certain head and neck cancers.