Long Focus Capital Management LLC Sells 855,000 Shares of Herbalife Ltd $HLF

Key Points

• Long Focus Capital Management reduced its stake in Herbalife by 19.6%, selling 855,000 shares in Q3 and now holds 3.5 million shares (~3.39% of the company) worth about $29.54 million, making HLF its 24th largest holding.
• Analyst consensus is a Moderate Buy with an average price target of $16.60, and several firms recently boosted ratings or targets (e.g., Citigroup $21 buy, Maxim $20 buy, Zacks upgraded to strong-buy).
• Herbalife reported Q results of $0.45 EPS (missed by $0.03) and $1.28B revenue (beat), and the stock trades at a $1.58 billion market cap with a PE of 6.94 and a 52-week range of $6.20–$20.40.

Long Focus Capital Management LLC reduced its position in shares of Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF - Free Report) by 19.6% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 3,500,000 shares of the company's stock after selling 855,000 shares during the period. Herbalife comprises about 1.0% of Long Focus Capital Management LLC's investment portfolio, making the stock its 24th largest holding. Long Focus Capital Management LLC owned 3.39% of Herbalife worth $29,540,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in Herbalife by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 2,810,794 shares of the company's stock valued at $24,231,000 after acquiring an additional 31,077 shares in the last quarter. Iridian Asset Management LLC CT boosted its position in Herbalife by 9.9% during the 3rd quarter. Iridian Asset Management LLC CT now owns 2,449,155 shares of the company's stock worth $20,671,000 after acquiring an additional 220,896 shares during the last quarter. Solel Partners LP grew its stake in shares of Herbalife by 18.7% during the 2nd quarter. Solel Partners LP now owns 1,669,405 shares of the company's stock worth $14,390,000 after acquiring an additional 262,614 shares in the last quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Herbalife by 3.4% during the 3rd quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 1,399,107 shares of the company's stock worth $11,809,000 after acquiring an additional 45,884 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Manatuck Hill Partners LLC raised its holdings in shares of Herbalife by 122.2% in the third quarter. Manatuck Hill Partners LLC now owns 1,000,000 shares of the company's stock valued at $8,440,000 after purchasing an additional 550,000 shares during the last quarter.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts recently commented on HLF shares. Mizuho set a $13.00 target price on shares of Herbalife and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Thursday, January 8th. Maxim Group assumed coverage on shares of Herbalife in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $20.00 price target on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of Herbalife from a "hold" rating to a "strong-buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Citigroup restated a "buy" rating and set a $21.00 price objective (up from $17.00) on shares of Herbalife in a research note on Thursday, February 19th. Finally, Argus set a $15.00 price objective on Herbalife in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have given a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Herbalife currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $16.60.

Herbalife Trading Down 0.7%

NYSE:HLF opened at $15.28 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.58 billion, a PE ratio of 6.94, a P/E/G ratio of 0.92 and a beta of 0.83. Herbalife Ltd has a 1-year low of $6.20 and a 1-year high of $20.40. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.80 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.66.

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.48 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $1.28 billion for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.24 billion. Herbalife had a negative return on equity of 35.02% and a net margin of 4.53%.The business's revenue was up 6.3% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the company posted $0.36 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts predict that Herbalife Ltd will post 1.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Herbalife Company Profile

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. NYSE: HLF operates as a global multi-level marketing company specializing in weight-management, nutritional supplement, sports nutrition and personal care products. Its portfolio includes protein shakes, vitamins, energy and fitness supplements, hydration products and skin and hair care items, all formulated to support wellness, performance and healthy living. Products are manufactured in GMP-certified facilities to ensure consistent quality and safety standards.

Founded in 1980 by Mark R.

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