Verrica Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRCA) CEO Jayson Rieger Acquires 5,000 Shares

Key Points

• CEO Jayson Rieger bought 5,000 Verrica Pharmaceuticals shares at an average $4.91, investing $24,550 and increasing his ownership to 207,593 shares.
• VRCA fell 4.3% to $4.68, with a market capitalization of about $80.4 million; the stock has traded between $3.28 and $9.82 over the past year.
• Institutional ownership stands at 42.45%, while analyst sentiment is mixed: the stock carries an average Hold rating and a $14.50 average price target.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VRCA - Get Free Report) CEO Jayson Rieger purchased 5,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 17th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $4.91 per share, for a total transaction of $24,550.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 207,593 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,019,281.63. The trade was a 2.47% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 4.3%

NASDAQ VRCA traded down $0.21 during mid-day trading on Tuesday, reaching $4.68. The stock had a trading volume of 46,708 shares, compared to its average volume of 92,498. The stock has a market cap of $80.40 million, a PE ratio of -2.80 and a beta of 1.49. Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a 1 year low of $3.28 and a 1 year high of $9.82. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.18, a current ratio of 1.45 and a quick ratio of 1.33. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $5.68 and a 200 day moving average price of $5.93.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRCA. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 347.5% during the 4th quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 143,818 shares of the company's stock worth $101,000 after acquiring an additional 111,678 shares during the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 64.8% in the 1st quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 74,388 shares of the company's stock worth $33,000 after purchasing an additional 29,256 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 306.7% in the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 58,711 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after purchasing an additional 44,275 shares in the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. raised its holdings in Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 23.3% in the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 139,055 shares of the company's stock worth $61,000 after purchasing an additional 26,308 shares during the period. Finally, Marshall Wace LLP bought a new position in Verrica Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter worth $66,000. 42.45% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of research analysts have recently issued reports on VRCA shares. Wall Street Zen downgraded Verrica Pharmaceuticals from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Saturday. Weiss Ratings reissued a "sell (e+)" rating on shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Wednesday, July 15th. HC Wainwright initiated coverage on shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Tuesday, May 26th. They set a "buy" rating and a $12.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Zacks Research raised shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals from a "strong sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, May 11th. Two analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $14.50.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc is a clinical‐stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of topical therapies for dermatological conditions. Its lead investigational product, VP-102, is a standardized formulation of cantharidin in a pre-measured applicator designed to treat molluscum contagiosum and common warts. Verrica's approach emphasizes consistency of dosing and patient convenience, aiming to improve upon off‐label use of existing treatments.

Beyond VP-102, Verrica is advancing VP-103, a next‐generation topical candidate intended to optimize tolerability while maintaining efficacy against viral skin lesions.

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