United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) Stock: Insider Christopher Patusky Sells 1,210 Shares

Key Points

• Director Christopher Patusky sold 1,210 shares for $701,800 at an average price of $580, reducing his direct stake by 36.12% to 2,140 shares.
• United Therapeutics reported quarterly revenue of $832.5 million, above analyst estimates and up 4.1% year over year, but EPS of $5.71 fell short of the $6.01 consensus.
• The board authorized a $2 billion share repurchase program, while analysts’ consensus rating was “Moderate Buy” with an average price target of $676.40.

United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) Director Christopher Patusky sold 1,210 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Monday, November 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $580.00, for a total value of $701,800.00. Following the sale, the director directly owned 2,140 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,241,200. This represents a 36.12% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink.

United Therapeutics Trading Up 1.1%

Shares of UTHR traded up $6.15 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $588.61. The stock had a trading volume of 445,882 shares, compared to its average volume of 556,544. The business has a 50-day simple moving average of $535.33 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $533.99. The firm has a market cap of $25.25 billion, a P/E ratio of 22.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.41 and a beta of 0.49. United Therapeutics Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $449.58 and a fifty-two week high of $614.23.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 4th. The biotechnology company reported $5.71 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $6.01 by ($0.30). United Therapeutics had a net margin of 38.61% and a return on equity of 19.18%. The firm had revenue of $832.50 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $781.14 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $7.16 EPS. The firm's revenue was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts expect that United Therapeutics Corporation will post 24.77 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

United Therapeutics declared that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Thursday, October 22nd that permits the company to repurchase $2 billion in outstanding shares. This repurchase authorization permits the biotechnology company to purchase up to 8.3% of its stock through open market purchases. Share repurchase programs are generally an indication that the company's management believes its stock is undervalued.

Institutional Trading of United Therapeutics

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in UTHR. Toth Financial Advisory Corp grew its position in United Therapeutics by 2,400.0% during 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 in the last quarter. Fiduciary Financial Advisors acquired a new stake in shares of United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Gen Wealth Partners Inc acquired a new stake in shares of United Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Caitlin John LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at $37,000. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of United Therapeutics by 426.7% during the 1st quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 79 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $45,000 after acquiring an additional 64 shares in the last quarter. 94.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research firms have weighed in on UTHR. Morgan Stanley lifted their price objective on shares of United Therapeutics from $515.00 to $566.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, October 7th. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an "overweight" rating and issued a $850.00 target price on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Monday, October 26th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on United Therapeutics from $700.00 to $703.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, November 5th. Leerink Partners lifted their price target on United Therapeutics from $685.00 to $725.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, October 19th. Finally, BTIG Research upped their price target on United Therapeutics from $728.00 to $768.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, November 4th. Thirteen research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, United Therapeutics has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus price target of $676.40.

About United Therapeutics

United Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes treatments for serious diseases, with a primary focus on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Its therapies include treprostinil products delivered by injection, inhalation, or oral tablet, marketed under brands including Remodulin, Tyvaso, and Orenitram. The company also markets Unituxin, a treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma. Founded in 1996 by Martine Rothblatt, United Therapeutics is also pursuing technologies intended to address the shortage of transplantable organs.

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