Verrica Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRCA) Shares Up 0.2% - What's Next?

Key Points

• Verrica Pharmaceuticals shares experienced a slight increase of 0.2%, with the stock trading between $5.64 and $5.72, although trading volume was down by 76% compared to average daily levels.
• Analysts currently hold a consensus rating of "Hold" for Verrica, with five analysts recommending holding the stock and one suggesting a buy, alongside a price target of $80.00.
• In their latest earnings report, Verrica Pharmaceuticals posted a loss of ($1.00) earnings per share, surpassing expectations and generating revenues of $3.44 million, higher than the expected $2.53 million.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VRCA - Get Free Report) rose 0.2% during mid-day trading on Friday . The stock traded as high as $5.72 and last traded at $5.64. Approximately 13,649 shares were traded during trading, a decline of 76% from the average daily volume of 55,798 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.63.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

VRCA has been the subject of several analyst reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Thursday, May 22nd. HC Wainwright reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals in a report on Tuesday, April 8th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reissued a "hold" rating on shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals in a report on Wednesday, May 14th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and one has assigned a buy rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Hold" and a consensus target price of $80.00.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Stock Up 8.8%

The company has a market capitalization of $56.38 million, a PE ratio of -0.51 and a beta of 1.92. The stock's fifty day simple moving average is $6.54 and its 200-day simple moving average is $6.08.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VRCA - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, May 13th. The company reported ($1.00) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.40) by $0.40. The firm had revenue of $3.44 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $2.53 million. Analysts expect that Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. will post -1.46 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Verrica Pharmaceuticals

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in VRCA. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 306.7% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 58,711 shares of the company's stock worth $26,000 after buying an additional 44,275 shares during the period. Invesco Ltd. acquired a new position in shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter valued at about $32,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 127.9% in the 1st quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 99,505 shares of the company's stock valued at $44,000 after buying an additional 55,852 shares during the period. Kovitz Investment Group Partners LLC acquired a new position in Verrica Pharmaceuticals during the 1st quarter valued at about $45,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. boosted its stake in Verrica Pharmaceuticals by 23.3% during the 1st quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. now owns 139,055 shares of the company's stock valued at $61,000 after purchasing an additional 26,308 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 42.45% of the company's stock.

About Verrica Pharmaceuticals

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc, a clinical-stage dermatology therapeutics company, develops medications for the treatment of skin diseases in the United States. Its product pipeline comprises YCANTH (VP-102), which is in phase III clinical trial for the treatment of common warts; and has completed phase II clinical trial for the treatment of external genital warts.