Vera Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VERA) Stock Price Down 6.8% on Insider Selling

Key Points

• Vera Therapeutics shares fell 6.8% after CEO Marshall Fordyce sold 46,250 shares worth about $1.96 million in a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 transaction. The stock traded as low as $39.86, down from the prior close of $42.45.
• Despite the insider sale, analyst sentiment remains broadly positive, with 11 Buy ratings, one Hold, and one Sell. The consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” and the average price target stands at $84.58.
• The company continues to have fundamental and pipeline catalysts, including the FDA’s accelerated approval of Trutakna. Vera also recently posted a wider-than-expected quarterly loss, missing EPS estimates.

Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERA - Get Free Report)'s share price was down 6.8% during trading on Friday after an insider sold shares in the company. The stock traded as low as $39.86 and last traded at $39.5550. 292,723 shares were traded during mid-day trading, a decline of 78% from the average daily volume of 1,329,298 shares. The stock had previously closed at $42.45.

Specifically, CEO Marshall Fordyce sold 46,250 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 7th. The shares were sold at an average price of $42.30, for a total value of $1,956,375.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 151,994 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,429,346.20. This trade represents a 23.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VERA has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a "buy" rating and issued a $60.00 price target on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, June 2nd. TD Cowen increased their target price on shares of Vera Therapeutics from $73.00 to $78.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday. Wedbush raised their target price on Vera Therapeutics from $35.00 to $43.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a research note on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings restated a "sell (d-)" rating on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a report on Monday, April 20th. Finally, Bank of America upped their price target on Vera Therapeutics from $65.00 to $70.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Tuesday. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vera Therapeutics presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $84.58.

Key Headlines Impacting Vera Therapeutics

Here are the key news stories impacting Vera Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: The FDA’s accelerated approval of Trutakna is a key catalyst and supports Vera’s long-term growth story. FDA grants accelerated approval to Vera Therapeutics' Trutakna
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright kept a Buy rating and $125 target, signaling continued confidence despite trimming near-term earnings estimates. HC Wainwright estimate and rating update
• Positive Sentiment: Wedbush raised its price target to $43, adding to the generally favorable analyst backdrop. Wedbush price target update
• Neutral Sentiment: Vera announced a planned regulatory leadership transition, appointing Nancy Boman as Chief Regulatory Officer while William Turner retires, which looks operationally routine. Leadership transition announcement
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Marshall Fordyce sold 46,250 shares under a pre-arranged 10b5-1 plan, which can still weigh on investor sentiment. SEC filing for CEO Marshall Fordyce stock sale
• Negative Sentiment: HC Wainwright also cut its 2026, Q3 2026, Q4 2026, and FY2027 earnings estimates, reflecting a more cautious profit outlook. HC Wainwright earnings estimate revisions

Vera Therapeutics Price Performance

The business's 50 day moving average price is $36.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $41.10. The stock has a market cap of $2.82 billion, a P/E ratio of -7.13 and a beta of 0.92. The company has a current ratio of 13.64, a quick ratio of 13.64 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.15.

Vera Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VERA - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported ($1.69) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.33) by ($0.36). During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.81) EPS. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Vera Therapeutics, Inc. will post -6.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in VERA. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vera Therapeutics by 50.5% in the 4th quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 703 shares of the company's stock valued at $36,000 after purchasing an additional 236 shares during the period. Los Angeles Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Vera Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth $46,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd bought a new position in Vera Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth $71,000. Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in Vera Therapeutics during the second quarter valued at $51,000. Finally, Sandia Investment Management LP purchased a new position in Vera Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at $127,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.21% of the company's stock.

Vera Therapeutics Company Profile

Vera Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel immunotherapies that harness the body's own regulatory T cells to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. By leveraging a proprietary protein engineering platform, the company designs Treg-selective cytokine variants intended to restore immune balance and provide targeted, disease-modifying effects. Its pipeline comprises multiple preclinical and clinical candidates aimed at indications characterized by chronic inflammation and autoimmunity.

Founded in 2018 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Vera Therapeutics collaborates with leading academic and research institutions to advance its development programs.

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