Aquestive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AQST) Stock Breaks Above 200 Day Moving Average - Here's What Happened

Key Points

• Aquestive Therapeutics shares rose 3.9% and briefly climbed above their 200-day moving average of $4.20, reaching $4.23 on volume of roughly 1.55 million shares.
• Analyst sentiment is generally positive, with four Buy ratings and one Sell rating producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $8.60, well above the recent trading price.
• The company reported a quarterly EPS loss of $0.18, missing expectations, although revenue of $13.82 million exceeded forecasts; insiders have also sold 58,750 shares worth about $271,675 over the past 90 days.

Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQST - Get Free Report)'s share price crossed above its 200-day moving average during trading on Wednesday. The stock has a 200-day moving average of $4.20 and traded as high as $4.23. Aquestive Therapeutics shares last traded at $4.23, with a volume of 1,551,707 shares.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on AQST shares. Wall Street Zen upgraded Aquestive Therapeutics from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Saturday, September 12th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Aquestive Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, October 15th. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating and set a $11.00 price objective on shares of Aquestive Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, September 10th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and issued a $10.00 price objective on shares of Aquestive Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, October 16th. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Aquestive Therapeutics has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $8.60.

Aquestive Therapeutics Trading Up 3.9%

The stock has a market capitalization of $530.91 million, a P/E ratio of -6.51 and a beta of 1.49. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $4.68 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $4.20.

Aquestive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AQST - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, August 11th. The company reported ($0.18) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.10) by ($0.08). The company had revenue of $13.82 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $11.42 million. As a group, analysts expect that Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. will post -0.50 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aquestive Therapeutics

In related news, insider Sherry Korczynski sold 8,750 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.22, for a total transaction of $45,675.00. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 235,689 shares in the company, valued at $1,230,296.58. This represents a 3.58% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, CEO Daniel Barber sold 25,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $4.22, for a total transaction of $105,500.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 627,317 shares of the company's stock, valued at $2,647,277.74. The trade was a 3.83% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 58,750 shares of company stock worth $271,675. 6.81% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Trading of Aquestive Therapeutics

A number of institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of AQST. ADAR1 Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of Aquestive Therapeutics by 103.9% in the 1st quarter. ADAR1 Capital Management LLC now owns 10,000 shares of the company's stock worth $42,000 after buying an additional 264,000 shares during the last quarter. Elevation Point Wealth Partners LLC purchased a new position in Aquestive Therapeutics during the first quarter valued at $42,000. Legal & General Group Plc purchased a new position in Aquestive Therapeutics during the second quarter valued at $44,000. Wealthfront Advisers LLC purchased a new position in Aquestive Therapeutics during the second quarter valued at $44,000. Finally, Keating Financial Advisory Services Inc. purchased a new position in Aquestive Therapeutics during the second quarter valued at $52,000. 32.45% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Aquestive Therapeutics Company Profile

Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing pharmaceutical products that use its proprietary PharmFilm oral film technology. The company's films are designed to deliver medicines through the mouth, potentially offering alternatives to tablets, capsules, injections, or other conventional dosage forms.

Aquestive's marketed products include Libervant (diazepam buccal film), an FDA-approved treatment for the acute, intermittent, and stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity associated with epilepsy, and Exservan (riluzole oral film), an FDA-approved treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

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