Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) Hits New 12-Month High - Here's Why

Key Points

• Natera reached a new 52-week high, trading around $430.72 and valuing the company at approximately $59.8 billion.
• Analysts remain broadly bullish, with a consensus “Moderate Buy” rating and an average price target of $341.55; UBS recently raised its target to $435.
• Recent quarterly results exceeded expectations: revenue rose 37.7% year over year to $752.75 million, while the $0.47 loss per share was narrower than analysts’ estimates.

Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA - Get Free Report) reached a new 52-week high on Tuesday. The stock traded as high as $429.97 and last traded at $430.7150, with a volume of 2233 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $425.64.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of equities analysts recently commented on the stock. UBS Group lifted their price target on shares of Natera from $290.00 to $435.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, September 9th. Barclays reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $340.00 target price on shares of Natera in a report on Friday, August 7th. Morgan Stanley reissued an "overweight" rating and issued a $355.00 price target on shares of Natera in a research report on Monday, August 10th. TD Cowen raised their target price on shares of Natera from $325.00 to $340.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on Natera from $220.00 to $284.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a report on Friday, August 7th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $341.55.

Natera Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $59.79 billion, a PE ratio of -308.76 and a beta of 1.50. The company's 50-day moving average price is $335.75 and its 200 day moving average price is $263.06.

Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The medical research company reported ($0.47) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.49) by $0.02. Natera had a negative net margin of 7.11% and a negative return on equity of 11.38%. The business had revenue of $752.75 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $661.24 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company earned ($0.74) earnings per share. The business's quarterly revenue was up 37.7% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities research analysts predict that Natera, Inc. will post -1.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Natera

In related news, insider Solomon Moshkevich sold 15,160 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, September 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $326.89, for a total value of $4,955,652.40. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 110,859 shares in the company, valued at $36,238,698.51. This trade represents a 12.03% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, CEO Steven Chapman sold 3,580 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, July 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $254.07, for a total value of $909,570.60. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 102,973 shares of the company's stock, valued at $26,162,350.11. The trade was a 3.36% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 52,985 shares of company stock worth $16,119,137. 5.05% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Natera

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of NTRA. Polaris Financial Partners acquired a new stake in shares of Natera in the third quarter worth $114,000. Versant Capital Management Inc raised its position in shares of Natera by 4.6% during the 3rd quarter. Versant Capital Management Inc now owns 815 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $337,000 after purchasing an additional 36 shares during the period. Burkett Financial Services LLC bought a new stake in shares of Natera during the third quarter valued at approximately $57,000. QRG Capital Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Natera by 32.7% during the 2nd quarter. QRG Capital Management Inc. now owns 19,488 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $5,290,000 after buying an additional 4,797 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. grew its holdings in Natera by 9.6% during the second quarter. Envestnet Portfolio Solutions Inc. now owns 4,921 shares of the medical research company's stock worth $1,336,000 after acquiring an additional 429 shares during the period. 99.90% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Natera

Natera, Inc is a diagnostics company that develops and commercializes molecular testing services designed to assess genetic and disease-related risks. The company uses technologies including cell-free DNA analysis and next-generation sequencing to support clinical decision-making in reproductive health, oncology and organ transplantation.

Its reproductive health offerings include Panorama, a noninvasive prenatal test that screens for certain chromosomal conditions, and Horizon, a carrier screening test that evaluates whether prospective parents carry genetic variants associated with inherited disorders.

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