BNP Paribas Financial Markets Purchases 26,325 Shares of United Therapeutics Co. (NASDAQ:UTHR)

BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in United Therapeutics Co. (NASDAQ:UTHR - Free Report) by 90.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 55,481 shares of the biotechnology company's stock after buying an additional 26,325 shares during the quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets owned about 0.12% of United Therapeutics worth $12,200,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Access Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in United Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth $668,000. Principal Securities Inc. bought a new stake in shares of United Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $198,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in shares of United Therapeutics by 2.5% during the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 319,030 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $70,152,000 after acquiring an additional 7,723 shares during the period. Empirical Financial Services LLC d.b.a. Empirical Wealth Management bought a new position in United Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at about $1,073,000. Finally, Summit Global Investments increased its position in United Therapeutics by 80.5% in the fourth quarter. Summit Global Investments now owns 27,112 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $5,962,000 after purchasing an additional 12,095 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.08% of the company's stock.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Christopher Patusky sold 1,680 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.00, for a total transaction of $376,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 4 shares in the company, valued at $896. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. In other United Therapeutics news, Director Christopher Patusky sold 1,680 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, February 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $224.00, for a total transaction of $376,320.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 4 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $896. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Paul A. Mahon sold 6,000 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, March 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $236.45, for a total transaction of $1,418,700.00. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president now owns 36,710 shares in the company, valued at $8,680,079.50. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 150,140 shares of company stock valued at $36,051,162. Company insiders own 12.50% of the company's stock.

United Therapeutics Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of NASDAQ:UTHR traded up $2.04 during trading on Friday, hitting $274.26. 329,299 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 461,334. The company has a current ratio of 3.77, a quick ratio of 3.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $244.01 and a 200-day moving average price of $232.27. United Therapeutics Co. has a 52 week low of $204.44 and a 52 week high of $275.00. The company has a market cap of $12.17 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.97 and a beta of 0.54.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, May 1st. The biotechnology company reported $6.17 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts' consensus estimates of $5.63 by $0.54. United Therapeutics had a net margin of 42.05% and a return on equity of 18.72%. The firm had revenue of $677.70 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $620.31 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $4.86 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 33.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, research analysts forecast that United Therapeutics Co. will post 24.2 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several research analysts have recently issued reports on UTHR shares. Leerink Partnrs reaffirmed an "outperform" rating on shares of United Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, February 5th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their target price on shares of United Therapeutics from $309.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a report on Thursday, March 7th. HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $300.00 price target on shares of United Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, May 2nd. SVB Leerink assumed coverage on United Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, February 5th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $330.00 price objective for the company. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group increased their target price on United Therapeutics from $218.00 to $240.00 and gave the company a "neutral" rating in a research note on Friday, May 3rd. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, nine have given a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, United Therapeutics presently has an average rating of "Buy" and an average price target of $308.78.

United Therapeutics Company Profile

United Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. The company offers Tyvaso DPI, an inhaled dry powder via pre-filled and single-use cartridges; Tyvaso, an inhaled solution via ultrasonic nebulizer; Remodulin (treprostinil) injection to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to diminish symptoms associated with exercise; Orenitram, a tablet dosage form of treprostinil, to delay disease progression and improve exercise capacity in PAH patients; and Adcirca, an oral PDE-5 inhibitor to enhance the exercise ability in PAH patients.