Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) Share Price Crosses Below 200 Day Moving Average - Time to Sell?

Key Points

• Technical drop: Esperion shares fell below their 200-day moving average of $3.16, trading as low as $2.66 and last at $2.76 on ~4.59M shares.
• Analyst view: Ratings are mixed but the consensus is a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $7.60, well above the current share price.
• Fundamentals and ownership: Institutional investors own 47.39% of the stock after recent buying; the company posted a revenue beat ($168.45M) but missed EPS ($0.22 vs. $0.23) and carries a negative P/E with expected FY EPS of −0.29.

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR - Get Free Report) passed below its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday . The stock has a 200-day moving average of $3.16 and traded as low as $2.66. Esperion Therapeutics shares last traded at $2.76, with a volume of 4,588,910 shares traded.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

ESPR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, March 10th. Citizens Jmp boosted their price objective on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the stock a "market outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Esperion Therapeutics from a "hold" rating to a "buy" rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC increased their target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $7.60.

Esperion Therapeutics Trading Up 5.3%

The stock has a market cap of $708.80 million, a PE ratio of -16.24, a P/E/G ratio of 1.88 and a beta of 1.11. The business has a 50 day moving average of $3.11 and a 200-day moving average of $3.16.

Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, March 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $0.23 by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $168.45 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $165.12 million. Research analysts expect that Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. will post -0.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Esperion Therapeutics

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. Orbimed Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Esperion Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth $22,072,000. Eversept Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth about $14,249,000. Two Seas Capital LP grew its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 43.6% during the second quarter. Two Seas Capital LP now owns 9,954,975 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $9,800,000 after buying an additional 3,024,104 shares during the last quarter. AIGH Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Esperion Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter valued at about $7,950,000. Finally, Millennium Management LLC increased its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 303.4% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 3,932,274 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $14,549,000 after acquiring an additional 2,957,418 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 47.39% of the company's stock.

About Esperion Therapeutics

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of oral, low–density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies. The company's research and development efforts center on small-molecule compounds designed to address atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by targeting cholesterol biosynthesis pathways. Esperion seeks to provide novel treatment options for patients who require additional LDL-C reduction beyond what is achieved with statins or who are statin-intolerant.

The company's lead products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid), an oral adenosine triphosphate–citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor approved by the U.S.

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