Pulse Biosciences (NASDAQ:PLSE) Shares Up 9.4% - Here's Why

Key Points

• Pulse Biosciences shares jumped 9.4% to $33.07 in Monday’s trading, despite volume running about 50% below the average session level.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed but leans positive: three analysts rate the stock a Buy and one rates it a Sell, producing a “Moderate Buy” consensus and an average price target of $30.67.
• Insider and institutional ownership is substantial. The CEO and director made significant purchases in May, while insiders own 74% and institutional investors hold 76.95% of the company’s stock.

Shares of Pulse Biosciences, Inc (NASDAQ:PLSE - Get Free Report) shot up 9.4% during mid-day trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $33.15 and last traded at $33.07. 166,997 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 50% from the average session volume of 332,235 shares. The stock had previously closed at $30.23.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

PLSE has been the subject of several recent research reports. Canaccord Genuity Group began coverage on Pulse Biosciences in a research report on Thursday, June 4th. They set a "buy" rating and a $32.00 price objective for the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Pulse Biosciences in a research report on Friday, July 17th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $30.67.

Pulse Biosciences Stock Performance

The company has a market capitalization of $2.31 billion, a P/E ratio of -30.26 and a beta of 1.65. The stock's fifty day moving average price is $26.76 and its 200-day moving average price is $22.14.

Pulse Biosciences (NASDAQ:PLSE - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 4th. The company reported ($0.27) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.32) by $0.05. The company had revenue of $0.40 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $0.25 million. On average, research analysts predict that Pulse Biosciences, Inc will post -1.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, CEO Paul A. Laviolette acquired 15,000 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 11th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $19.69 per share, with a total value of $295,350.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the chief executive officer directly owned 15,000 shares of the company's stock, valued at $295,350. The trade was a ∞ increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, Director Robert W. Duggan purchased 660,233 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 11th. The shares were acquired at an average cost of $19.69 per share, with a total value of $12,999,987.77. Following the acquisition, the director directly owned 48,211,433 shares in the company, valued at $949,283,115.77. This represents a 1.39% increase in their position. Additional details regarding this purchase are available in the official SEC disclosure. 74.00% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pulse Biosciences

A number of hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of PLSE. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its stake in Pulse Biosciences by 13.8% in the fourth quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 5,106 shares of the company's stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 619 shares during the period. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its stake in shares of Pulse Biosciences by 63.6% during the 2nd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 1,749 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after acquiring an additional 680 shares during the period. Alliancebernstein L.P. lifted its stake in shares of Pulse Biosciences by 6.7% during the 3rd quarter. Alliancebernstein L.P. now owns 20,620 shares of the company's stock valued at $365,000 after buying an additional 1,300 shares in the last quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. boosted its stake in Pulse Biosciences by 2.9% in the 4th quarter. Westside Investment Management Inc. now owns 66,326 shares of the company's stock worth $911,000 after purchasing an additional 1,886 shares during the period. Finally, Tower Research Capital LLC TRC increased its holdings in Pulse Biosciences by 275.0% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 2,940 shares of the company's stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 2,156 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 76.95% of the company's stock.

About Pulse Biosciences

Pulse Biosciences, Inc is a clinical-stage bioelectric medicine company that develops and commercializes medical devices based on its proprietary Tissue NanoPoration (TNP) platform. The company’s core technology, NanoPulse Stimulation (NPS), delivers ultrashort, high-voltage electric pulses to targeted tissue, triggering cellular responses without the thermal damage associated with traditional energy-based devices. Pulse Biosciences focuses on applications in dermatology and aesthetic medicine, where controlled ablation of unwanted lesions is critical.

The company’s flagship product, the CellFX® System, is designed to treat a range of benign and malignant skin lesions, including seborrheic keratosis, non-melanoma skin cancers, and various epidermal and dermal lesions.

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