Zealand Pharma A/S (OTCMKTS:ZLDPF) Shares Gap Up - What's Next?

Key Points

• Shares gapped up prior to trading Monday, opening at $48.30 versus the prior close of $44.71, on light volume (240 shares reported).
• Analyst sentiment is mixed—three Strong Buy and five Hold ratings leave an average rating of "Moderate Buy"—but several recent reports downgraded or reiterated neutral/hold views and analysts forecast EPS of -2.19 for the current year.
• In the latest quarter Zealand beat EPS (-$0.81 vs. -$1.34 est.) but missed revenue ($10.79M vs. $19.69M), while showing very strong liquidity (quick/current ratio 23.57), low leverage (debt/equity 0.02) and a market cap of $3.43 billion.

Shares of Zealand Pharma A/S (OTCMKTS:ZLDPF - Get Free Report) gapped up prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $44.71, but opened at $48.30. Zealand Pharma A/S shares last traded at $48.30, with a volume of 240 shares changing hands.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently issued reports on ZLDPF shares. BNP Paribas Exane downgraded Zealand Pharma A/S from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, March 6th. William Blair reaffirmed a "market perform" rating on shares of Zealand Pharma A/S in a report on Friday, March 6th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft reiterated a "hold" rating on shares of Zealand Pharma A/S in a research note on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reissued a "neutral" rating on shares of Zealand Pharma A/S in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Three analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and five have issued a Hold rating to the company's stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Zealand Pharma A/S currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy".

Zealand Pharma A/S Stock Performance

The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $53.95 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $67.10. The company has a quick ratio of 23.57, a current ratio of 23.57 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02. The firm has a market cap of $3.43 billion, a PE ratio of 3.53 and a beta of 0.88.

Zealand Pharma A/S (OTCMKTS:ZLDPF - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 19th. The company reported ($0.81) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.34) by $0.53. The firm had revenue of $10.79 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $19.69 million. Zealand Pharma A/S had a return on equity of 48.10% and a net margin of 70.06%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Zealand Pharma A/S will post -2.19 earnings per share for the current year.

Zealand Pharma A/S Company Profile

Zealand Pharma A/S is a Denmark‐based biopharmaceutical company specializing in the discovery, design and development of peptide‐based therapeutics. Utilizing proprietary peptide engineering platforms, the company focuses on metabolic and endocrine disorders, including diabetes and rare gastrointestinal diseases. Zealand employs a rational design approach to optimize stability, selectivity and dosing profiles of its candidates, aiming to improve patient outcomes where current treatment options are limited.

Among the most advanced assets in Zealand's pipeline is dasiglucagon, a stable glucagon analog designed for the emergency treatment of severe hypoglycemia.

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