Renaissance Technologies LLC Reduces Position in Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR)

Renaissance Technologies LLC decreased its holdings in Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR - Free Report) by 36.7% during the fourth quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 578,800 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock after selling 335,300 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC owned about 0.29% of Esperion Therapeutics worth $1,273,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also made changes to their positions in the company. Barclays PLC increased its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 99.6% in the 3rd quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 309,671 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $510,000 after buying an additional 154,509 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 18.6% during the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,454,216 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $5,399,000 after acquiring an additional 385,099 shares during the period. Victory Capital Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 602.8% during the fourth quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 173,083 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $381,000 after acquiring an additional 148,456 shares in the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 96.6% in the fourth quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 151,482 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $333,000 after purchasing an additional 74,433 shares during the period. Finally, Sigma Planning Corp grew its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 1,455.8% in the fourth quarter. Sigma Planning Corp now owns 190,441 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $419,000 after purchasing an additional 178,200 shares in the last quarter. 47.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Performance

ESPR traded up $0.01 during trading on Monday, hitting $1.10. The stock had a trading volume of 423,864 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,575,157. The stock has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.31 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $1.92. The company has a market capitalization of $216.97 million, a PE ratio of -1.70 and a beta of 0.75. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. has a twelve month low of $0.82 and a twelve month high of $3.94.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. The Goldman Sachs Group lowered their target price on Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $3.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 17th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "buy" rating and set a $5.00 target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Friday, April 25th. HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating and set a $16.00 target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, April 25th. Finally, JMP Securities reissued a "market outperform" rating and set a $4.00 price objective (down from $7.00) on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have assigned a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $6.42.

Esperion Therapeutics Company Profile

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.