29,327 United Therapeutics Corporation $UTHR Shares Sold by Simplify Asset Management Inc.

Key Points

• Simplify Asset Management cut its United Therapeutics stake by 64.6%, selling 29,327 shares and retaining 16,084 shares worth approximately $8.7 million. Institutional investors still own 94.08% of UTHR.
• United Therapeutics reported better-than-expected quarterly EPS of $7.27, though revenue missed estimates and declined 1.9% year over year. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target near $667.
• The board authorized a $2 billion share-repurchase program, allowing the company to buy back up to 8.3% of outstanding shares, while the FDA cleared a clinical trial for an inhaled PAH treatment.

Simplify Asset Management Inc. trimmed its position in shares of United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR - Free Report) by 64.6% during the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,084 shares of the biotechnology company's stock after selling 29,327 shares during the quarter. Simplify Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in United Therapeutics were worth $8,716,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other large investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Toth Financial Advisory Corp lifted its position in United Therapeutics by 2,400.0% in the second quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 50 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the period. Fiduciary Financial Advisors acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $30,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $37,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC increased its position in United Therapeutics by 426.7% during the 1st quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 79 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $45,000 after purchasing an additional 64 shares during the period. Finally, PFS Partners LLC acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $45,000. 94.08% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Therapeutics Stock Down 0.8%

Shares of UTHR stock opened at $586.48 on Thursday. United Therapeutics Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $415.26 and a fifty-two week high of $609.35. The stock has a market cap of $25.15 billion, a P/E ratio of 20.98, a P/E/G ratio of 4.26 and a beta of 0.49. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $524.26 and a 200-day simple moving average of $529.41.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The biotechnology company reported $7.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $6.86 by $0.41. United Therapeutics had a return on equity of 20.18% and a net margin of 41.56%. The business had revenue of $783.30 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $804.65 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the company posted $6.41 EPS. The business's revenue was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, sell-side analysts anticipate that United Therapeutics Corporation will post 26.07 earnings per share for the current year.

United Therapeutics announced that its board has approved a stock repurchase plan on Thursday, October 22nd that allows the company to buy back $2 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization allows the biotechnology company to purchase up to 8.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Stock repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

More United Therapeutics News

Here are the key news stories impacting United Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The FDA cleared United Therapeutics to begin a clinical trial of its inhaled treprostinil-iloprost combination, or Treprostinil-Iloprost SMI, for pulmonary arterial hypertension. The therapy could expand the company’s PAH pipeline, although the trial remains an early-stage development milestone. FDA clearance article
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s board recently authorized a $2 billion share-repurchase program, potentially reducing shares outstanding by as much as 8.3%. Buybacks can support per-share earnings and signal management views the stock as undervalued.
• Positive Sentiment: JPMorgan maintained an “overweight” rating and continues to see upside despite lowering its price target to $695 from $710. The broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy,” with an average target of $666.50. JPMorgan analyst action
• Neutral Sentiment: United Therapeutics is approaching its next earnings report. Recent coverage highlights investor interest ahead of the release, while the company’s prior quarter showed stronger-than-expected earnings but revenue below estimates and a year-over-year decline. Earnings outlook article
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks expects earnings to decline in the upcoming report and says United Therapeutics lacks the combination of factors typically associated with a likely earnings beat. That raises near-term uncertainty for a stock trading close to its 52-week high. Zacks earnings expectations
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Martine Rothblatt sold 9,500 shares worth roughly $5.6 million, reducing her ownership by 2.84%. The transactions were disclosed as part of a prearranged plan, which lessens—but does not eliminate—the negative signaling effect of insider selling.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other United Therapeutics news, CEO Martine Rothblatt sold 9,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, August 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $526.96, for a total transaction of $5,006,120.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 324,443 shares in the company, valued at approximately $170,968,483.28. The trade was a 2.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 401,528 shares of company stock worth $209,465,456. Company insiders own 8.60% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

UTHR has been the subject of several recent analyst reports. Bank of America reduced their price target on United Therapeutics from $620.00 to $613.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a report on Friday, July 10th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $850.00 price target on shares of United Therapeutics in a research note on Monday. Raymond James Financial reaffirmed an "outperform" rating and set a $717.00 price objective on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, October 20th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price objective on United Therapeutics from $710.00 to $695.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Wednesday. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada cut their price objective on United Therapeutics from $708.00 to $697.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, October 22nd. Twelve investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $667.07.

About United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for patients with life-threatening conditions, particularly pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The company's portfolio includes Tyvaso and Tyvaso DPI, inhaled formulations of treprostinil; Remodulin, an injectable treprostinil product; and Orenitram, an oral treprostinil therapy. These treatments are designed to improve exercise ability and delay disease progression in people with PAH.

The company also markets Unituxin, an antibody therapy used as part of treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer.

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