Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) Trading Up 9.2% - What's Next?

Key Points

• Shares rose 9.2% to $2.97 on Monday with about 4.24 million shares traded, leaving the stock below its 50‑day moving average ($3.39) and near its 200‑day average ($3.13).
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but tilted positive: Needham raised its target to $5 and MarketBeat shows a consensus "Moderate Buy" with an average target of $8.25 (ratings: 1 Strong Buy, 4 Buy, 1 Hold, 1 Sell).
• Esperion is a clinical‑stage LDL‑lowering biotech (market cap ≈ $728M) with lead product NEXLETOL; insiders recently sold a small amount (CFO 7,337 shares), insiders own ~1.7% and institutions ~47.4% of the stock.

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR - Get Free Report) shares traded up 9.2% during trading on Monday . The stock traded as high as $2.99 and last traded at $2.97. 4,240,547 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 10% from the average session volume of 4,688,567 shares. The stock had previously closed at $2.72.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several brokerages recently issued reports on ESPR. Needham & Company LLC upped their target price on Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Wall Street Zen downgraded Esperion Therapeutics from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, February 14th. Citigroup restated a "market outperform" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, November 12th. Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an "overweight" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Esperion Therapeutics currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $8.25.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Up 11.9%

The stock's 50 day moving average price is $3.39 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $3.13. The stock has a market cap of $727.94 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -6.03, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.56 and a beta of 1.11.

Insider Activity at Esperion Therapeutics

In related news, CFO Benjamin Halladay sold 7,337 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.67, for a total transaction of $26,926.79. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 467,525 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,715,816.75. This represents a 1.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Insiders sold a total of 15,543 shares of company stock valued at $55,709 in the last quarter. 1.70% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Esperion Therapeutics

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. R Squared Ltd raised its stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 23.5% during the 4th quarter. R Squared Ltd now owns 15,173 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $56,000 after buying an additional 2,890 shares during the period. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 10.2% during the fourth quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 38,955 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $144,000 after acquiring an additional 3,614 shares during the period. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its holdings in Esperion Therapeutics by 49.0% during the fourth quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 11,617 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $43,000 after purchasing an additional 3,822 shares in the last quarter. Eaton Financial Holdings Company LLC grew its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 9.4% in the fourth quarter. Eaton Financial Holdings Company LLC now owns 46,595 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $172,000 after purchasing an additional 4,000 shares during the period. Finally, Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC grew its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 18.5% in the fourth quarter. Wealth Enhancement Advisory Services LLC now owns 28,338 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $105,000 after purchasing an additional 4,422 shares during the period. 47.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Esperion Therapeutics Company Profile

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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