Leerink Partnrs Issues Negative Outlook for Vericel Earnings

Key Points

• Leerink Partners has decreased their FY2025 earnings per share estimate for Vericel Corporation from $0.33 to $0.23, while the consensus estimate stands at $0.14.
• Vericel reported a quarterly earnings result of ($0.01) EPS, exceeding analysts' estimates and showing a 20.1% increase in revenue year-over-year.
• Vericel stock is currently rated as a "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $59.86 from analysts, despite some brokerage downgrades in recent months.

Vericel Corporation (NASDAQ:VCEL - Free Report) - Analysts at Leerink Partnrs reduced their FY2025 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Vericel in a report released on Thursday, July 31st. Leerink Partnrs analyst M. Kratky now anticipates that the biotechnology company will post earnings per share of $0.23 for the year, down from their previous forecast of $0.33. The consensus estimate for Vericel's current full-year earnings is $0.14 per share. Leerink Partnrs also issued estimates for Vericel's FY2026 earnings at $0.67 EPS, FY2027 earnings at $1.20 EPS and FY2028 earnings at $1.86 EPS.

Vericel (NASDAQ:VCEL - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, July 31st. The biotechnology company reported ($0.01) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.04) by $0.03. The business had revenue of $63.24 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $64.61 million. Vericel had a return on equity of 2.47% and a net margin of 2.85%. The business's quarterly revenue was up 20.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.10) EPS.

Other equities research analysts have also issued reports about the company. Truist Financial dropped their price target on Vericel from $61.00 to $51.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Friday, April 11th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Vericel from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Monday, May 12th. Stephens reaffirmed an "overweight" rating and set a $67.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a report on Monday, June 16th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group cut their target price on Vericel from $61.00 to $58.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, August 1st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vericel has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $59.86.

Vericel Trading Down 0.6%

Shares of VCEL stock traded down $0.20 during trading hours on Monday, reaching $36.09. The company's stock had a trading volume of 287,724 shares, compared to its average volume of 498,385. Vericel has a one year low of $33.09 and a one year high of $63.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 300.85 and a beta of 1.27. The firm's fifty day simple moving average is $40.66 and its 200 day simple moving average is $45.19.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Principal Financial Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Vericel by 2.7% during the first quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. now owns 270,154 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $12,054,000 after buying an additional 7,222 shares during the last quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. boosted its holdings in Vericel by 15.6% in the 1st quarter. Envestnet Asset Management Inc. now owns 204,510 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $9,125,000 after purchasing an additional 27,526 shares in the last quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC boosted its holdings in Vericel by 34.8% in the 1st quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,895 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $129,000 after purchasing an additional 748 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its holdings in Vericel by 26.5% in the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 571,194 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $31,364,000 after purchasing an additional 119,574 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company MN boosted its holdings in Vericel by 11.8% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 69,975 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $3,842,000 after purchasing an additional 7,363 shares in the last quarter.

About Vericel

Vericel Corporation, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of cellular therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care markets in North America. The company markets autologous cell therapy products comprising MACI, an autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane for the repair of symptomatic, and single or multiple full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee; Epicel, a permanent skin replacement humanitarian use device for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with deep-dermal or full-thickness burns; and NexoBrid, a biological orphan product for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns.