Insider Selling: United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) CEO Sells $4,763,205.00 in Stock

Key Points

• CEO Martine Rothblatt sold 9,500 United Therapeutics shares at an average price of $501.39, generating $4.76 million. She retained 324,443 shares worth approximately $162.7 million, a 2.84% reduction in direct ownership.
• United Therapeutics shares traded around $497.85, below their 50-day and 200-day moving averages, with a 52-week range of $402.50 to $609.35 and a market capitalization of $21.35 billion.
• The company beat quarterly EPS expectations ($7.27 versus $6.86) but reported revenue below estimates and a 1.9% year-over-year decline. Analysts maintain a “Moderate Buy” consensus with an average price target of $646, while institutional investors own 94.08% of the stock.

United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) CEO Martine Rothblatt sold 9,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 16th. The shares were sold at an average price of $501.39, for a total value of $4,763,205.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 324,443 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $162,672,475.77. The trade was a 2.84% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink.

United Therapeutics Price Performance

Shares of UTHR traded down $0.63 during trading hours on Thursday, hitting $497.85. The stock had a trading volume of 1,184,836 shares, compared to its average volume of 502,589. The company's fifty day moving average is $517.63 and its two-hundred day moving average is $540.68. United Therapeutics Corporation has a 52 week low of $402.50 and a 52 week high of $609.35. The stock has a market capitalization of $21.35 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 17.81, a P/E/G ratio of 2.51 and a beta of 0.56.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The biotechnology company reported $7.27 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of $6.86 by $0.41. The business had revenue of $783.30 million during the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $804.65 million. United Therapeutics had a net margin of 41.56% and a return on equity of 20.18%. The firm's revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter last year, the company posted $6.41 EPS. Equities analysts predict that United Therapeutics Corporation will post 26.21 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Therapeutics

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Arjuna Capital lifted its stake in shares of United Therapeutics by 2.8% during the first quarter. Arjuna Capital now owns 662 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $393,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Sage Rhino Capital LLC increased its position in United Therapeutics by 5.1% in the first quarter. Sage Rhino Capital LLC now owns 474 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $281,000 after purchasing an additional 23 shares during the period. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC raised its holdings in United Therapeutics by 5.4% during the 1st quarter. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC now owns 465 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $276,000 after purchasing an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. raised its holdings in United Therapeutics by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 661 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $392,000 after purchasing an additional 26 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kera Capital Partners Inc. lifted its position in United Therapeutics by 6.1% during the 1st quarter. Kera Capital Partners Inc. now owns 471 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $279,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.08% of the company's stock.

Analyst Ratings Changes

UTHR has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted their target price on shares of United Therapeutics from $685.00 to $687.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Thursday, July 23rd. Weiss Ratings lowered United Therapeutics from a "buy (b)" rating to a "buy (b-)" rating in a research report on Thursday, August 27th. Morgan Stanley set a $515.00 price target on United Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, August 6th. TD Cowen reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of United Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, May 21st. Finally, Bank of America cut their price objective on United Therapeutics from $620.00 to $613.00 and set a "neutral" rating for the company in a research report on Friday, July 10th. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $646.00.

United Therapeutics Company Profile

United Therapeutics Corporation is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for serious and life-threatening conditions, with a primary emphasis on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The company's products are designed to improve pulmonary blood flow and reduce the effects of this progressive disease.

United Therapeutics' PAH portfolio includes Remodulin (treprostinil) injection, Orenitram (treprostinil) extended-release tablets, and Tyvaso (treprostinil), which is available as an inhalation solution and as the Tyvaso DPI dry-powder inhaler.

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