United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) Given New $564.00 Price Target at Jefferies Financial Group

Key Points

• Jefferies Financial Group has increased the price target for United Therapeutics from $432.00 to $564.00, indicating a potential upside of 38.05% from its current stock price.
• The biotechnology company reported $6.41 earnings per share for the last quarter, missing analysts' estimates, although its revenue increased 11.7% year-over-year.
• Nine research analysts currently rate United Therapeutics as a Buy, while the average target price stands at $403.54, reflecting strong market confidence in the company's prospects.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) had its price target lifted by equities research analysts at Jefferies Financial Group from $432.00 to $564.00 in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a "buy" rating on the biotechnology company's stock. Jefferies Financial Group's target price points to a potential upside of 38.05% from the stock's current price.

Other equities analysts have also recently issued reports about the stock. HC Wainwright set a $400.00 price objective on shares of United Therapeutics and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday, July 31st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their target price on shares of United Therapeutics from $350.00 to $330.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, July 8th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of United Therapeutics from $385.00 to $415.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Wednesday, August 13th. Bank of America increased their target price on shares of United Therapeutics from $314.00 to $463.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating on shares of United Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, August 14th. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, United Therapeutics currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $403.54.

United Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:UTHR traded up $103.80 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $408.56. The company had a trading volume of 2,247,154 shares, compared to its average volume of 542,043. United Therapeutics has a twelve month low of $266.98 and a twelve month high of $436.95. The firm has a market capitalization of $18.43 billion, a PE ratio of 15.91, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 4.62 and a beta of 0.62. The firm's fifty day moving average is $299.03 and its 200 day moving average is $304.77.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, July 30th. The biotechnology company reported $6.41 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $6.80 by ($0.39). United Therapeutics had a return on equity of 18.73% and a net margin of 40.36%.The firm had revenue of $798.60 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $802.13 million. During the same quarter last year, the company earned $5.85 earnings per share. The business's revenue for the quarter was up 11.7% on a year-over-year basis. Equities analysts predict that United Therapeutics will post 24.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at United Therapeutics

In other news, CFO James Edgemond sold 12,000 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 9th. The shares were sold at an average price of $325.37, for a total transaction of $3,904,440.00. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 8,118 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,641,353.66. The trade was a 59.65% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, Director Richard Giltner sold 3,036 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, June 24th. The shares were sold at an average price of $289.60, for a total transaction of $879,225.60. Following the sale, the director owned 19,384 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,613,606.40. This trade represents a 13.54% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 81,681 shares of company stock valued at $24,537,839. Company insiders own 10.30% of the company's stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On United Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Chung Wu Investment Group LLC bought a new position in United Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter valued at about $29,000. WealthCollab LLC boosted its stake in shares of United Therapeutics by 55.9% in the 2nd quarter. WealthCollab LLC now owns 106 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 38 shares in the last quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. boosted its stake in shares of United Therapeutics by 76.7% in the 2nd quarter. Rakuten Securities Inc. now owns 106 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $30,000 after purchasing an additional 46 shares in the last quarter. SVB Wealth LLC acquired a new stake in shares of United Therapeutics in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $32,000. Finally, Dunhill Financial LLC boosted its stake in shares of United Therapeutics by 100.0% in the 4th quarter. Dunhill Financial LLC now owns 100 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $35,000 after purchasing an additional 50 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 94.08% of the company's stock.

About United Therapeutics

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.

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