Emergent Biosolutions (NYSE:EBS) Share Price Passes Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Should You Sell?

Key Points

• Emergent Biosolutions Inc. shares recently crossed above their two hundred day moving average of $6.91, trading at $9.62 with significant volume of 738,980 shares.
• Analysts have mixed ratings on the stock, with two analysts rating it as a "Buy", one as a "Sell", and a consensus target price of $13.50.
• Recent insider selling by company directors has raised some concern, with significant shares sold at prices below the current trading value.

Emergent Biosolutions Inc. (NYSE:EBS - Get Free Report) crossed above its two hundred day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a two hundred day moving average of $6.91 and traded as high as $9.69. Emergent Biosolutions shares last traded at $9.62, with a volume of 738,980 shares trading hands.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

EBS has been the subject of a number of recent analyst reports. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Emergent Biosolutions from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Saturday, August 9th. HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating and set a $15.00 price objective on shares of Emergent Biosolutions in a report on Wednesday, September 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d)" rating on shares of Emergent Biosolutions in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Emergent Biosolutions has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $13.50.

Emergent Biosolutions Trading Up 5.9%

The stock has a market cap of $513.44 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of 3.93 and a beta of 2.04. The business's fifty day simple moving average is $8.65 and its 200 day simple moving average is $6.91. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.25, a current ratio of 5.66 and a quick ratio of 3.00.

Emergent Biosolutions (NYSE:EBS - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, January 9th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.27) EPS for the quarter. Emergent Biosolutions had a net margin of 16.38% and a return on equity of 24.63%. The business had revenue of $222.50 million during the quarter. Emergent Biosolutions has set its FY 2023 guidance at EPS. On average, research analysts predict that Emergent Biosolutions Inc. will post -0.63 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Kathryn C. Zoon sold 7,086 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 15th. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.87, for a total transaction of $62,852.82. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 71,799 shares in the company, valued at $636,857.13. The trade was a 8.98% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director Donald W. Degolyer sold 7,844 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, August 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.65, for a total value of $67,850.60. Following the transaction, the director owned 137,659 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,190,750.35. This represents a 5.39% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders own 1.20% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of EBS. HBK Sorce Advisory LLC acquired a new position in Emergent Biosolutions during the 1st quarter valued at about $131,000. Cannon Global Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Emergent Biosolutions during the first quarter worth approximately $144,000. Palisade Capital Management LP boosted its position in shares of Emergent Biosolutions by 21.6% during the first quarter. Palisade Capital Management LP now owns 1,141,589 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $5,548,000 after buying an additional 202,857 shares during the period. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of Emergent Biosolutions by 40.4% during the first quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 17,003 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $83,000 after buying an additional 4,894 shares during the period. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund boosted its position in shares of Emergent Biosolutions by 22.4% during the first quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 375,034 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,823,000 after buying an additional 68,748 shares during the period. 78.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About Emergent Biosolutions

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.

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