Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) Given Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" by Analysts

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR - Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the six brokerages that are currently covering the company, MarketBeat.com reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year target price among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $6.25.

ESPR has been the subject of several analyst reports. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their price target on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $3.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, April 17th. JMP Securities restated a "market outperform" rating and issued a $4.00 target price (down previously from $7.00) on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Needham & Company LLC cut their price objective on Esperion Therapeutics from $5.00 to $4.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a report on Wednesday, May 7th. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $16.00 target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Friday, April 25th.

Esperion Therapeutics Trading Down 3.8%

ESPR traded down $0.03 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $0.82. The company's stock had a trading volume of 1,037,305 shares, compared to its average volume of 5,474,644. The stock's 50-day moving average is $1.12 and its 200-day moving average is $1.81. Esperion Therapeutics has a 1 year low of $0.69 and a 1 year high of $3.94. The firm has a market capitalization of $162.72 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.29 and a beta of 0.75.

Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 6th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.21) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.18) by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $65.00 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $54.97 million. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Esperion Therapeutics will post -0.29 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Esperion Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in ESPR. Cibc World Markets Corp purchased a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth $39,000. Meridian Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the 1st quarter valued at about $29,000. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. purchased a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at about $55,000. Crestline Management LP bought a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth about $63,000. Finally, SLT Holdings LLC bought a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth about $66,000. 47.39% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Esperion Therapeutics

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc, a pharmaceutical company, develops and commercializes medicines for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Its marketed products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid) and NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) tablets that are oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who require additional lowering of LDL-C.