Royce & Associates LP Takes Position in Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. $ESPR

Key Points

• Royce & Associates LP purchased 2,293,488 shares of Esperion in Q3 (≈$6.08M), leaving it with a 1.14% ownership stake.
• Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 47.39% of Esperion; notable holders include Vanguard with 12,092,449 shares (≈$32.05M).
• Esperion agreed to acquire Corstasis and the FDA‑approved nasal spray Enbumyst for $75M upfront (up to $180M in milestones), which could target a >$4B U.S. opportunity; however, the deal will be funded via credit facilities and royalty monetization, raising leverage/dilution concerns amid recent insider selling.

Royce & Associates LP purchased a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR - Free Report) in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor purchased 2,293,488 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock, valued at approximately $6,078,000. Royce & Associates LP owned 1.14% of Esperion Therapeutics at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Two Seas Capital LP increased its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 43.6% in the second quarter. Two Seas Capital LP now owns 9,954,975 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $9,800,000 after purchasing an additional 3,024,104 shares during the period. AIGH Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the third quarter worth about $7,950,000. Marshall Wace LLP increased its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 46.2% in the 2nd quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 5,312,252 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $5,206,000 after acquiring an additional 1,679,294 shares during the period. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 68.4% in the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 945,491 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $2,506,000 after acquiring an additional 384,095 shares during the period. Finally, Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 3.2% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 12,092,449 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $32,045,000 after acquiring an additional 375,620 shares during the last quarter. 47.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages have weighed in on ESPR. Wall Street Zen downgraded Esperion Therapeutics from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, February 14th. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, November 12th. Citigroup reissued a "market outperform" rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Finally, Piper Sandler started coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, November 25th. They set an "overweight" rating and a $9.00 price objective for the company. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has issued 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 $8.25.

Insider Transactions at Esperion Therapeutics

In other Esperion Therapeutics news, CFO Benjamin Halladay sold 7,337 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $3.67, for a total value of $26,926.79. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 467,525 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,715,816.75. This trade represents a 1.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Insiders sold a total of 15,543 shares of company stock valued at $55,709 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 1.70% of the company's stock.

Trending Headlines about Esperion Therapeutics

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

• Positive Sentiment: Acquisition adds an approved, first‑in‑class product — Esperion agreed to acquire Corstasis for $75 million upfront (plus up to $180M in milestones and low double‑digit royalties). Enbumyst (bumetanide nasal spray) is the first FDA‑approved intranasal loop diuretic for edema associated with CHF and related conditions; management says it could address a U.S. market opportunity >$4B and accelerate double‑digit revenue growth. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Commercial and patient benefits could support faster uptake — Enbumyst is positioned as a self‑administered outpatient therapy to bridge oral and IV diuretics, which may reduce hospitalizations and create a complementary product to Esperion’s existing cardiovascular commercial infrastructure. This underpins the strategic rationale for the acquisition. Article Title
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst optimism — Needham raised its price target from $4.00 to $5.00 and maintained a Buy rating, which signals Wall Street support for the acquisition’s commercial upside and may boost near‑term investor confidence. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Corporate communications and Q&A — Esperion hosted an M&A conference call and a transcript/coverage is available; the call and replay are primary sources for additional details and management guidance on integration and timing. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Close timing and integration watch — The transaction is expected to close in Q2 2026 and Corstasis’ subcutaneous pipeline assets remain potential upside; integration execution and launch traction will determine how quickly revenue accretes. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Financing and balance‑sheet implications — Esperion will fund the deal using existing credit facilities and royalty monetization (with partners). That introduces leverage/royalty monetization risk and could affect cash runway or margins depending on terms and actual sales performance. Article Title
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling and governance signal — Recent data show insider sales over the past six months (multiple officers sold shares), which some investors view as a cautionary sign; monitor future insider activity and dilution risks tied to milestone/royalty deals. Article Title

Esperion Therapeutics Price Performance

ESPR opened at $2.91 on Thursday. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. has a 12 month low of $0.69 and a 12 month high of $4.18. The stock has a market capitalization of $695.67 million, a P/E ratio of -5.82, a P/E/G ratio of 0.61 and a beta of 1.11. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $3.44 and a 200-day simple moving average of $3.12.

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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