Esperion Therapeutics’ (ESPR) Market Outperform Rating Reaffirmed at JMP Securities

Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR)‘s stock had its “market outperform” rating reaffirmed by JMP Securities in a report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a $4.00 target price on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock, down from their previous target price of $7.00. JMP Securities’ price target would indicate a potential upside of 127.92% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities research analysts also recently commented on the stock. StockNews.com downgraded shares of Esperion Therapeutics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $8.00 price target for the company. The Goldman Sachs Group assumed coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $4.00 target price on the stock. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $16.00 price target on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $6.00 price objective on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Friday, December 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $6.75.

Esperion Therapeutics Price Performance

Shares of ESPR stock traded down $0.11 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $1.76. The company had a trading volume of 1,411,687 shares, compared to its average volume of 4,580,047. Esperion Therapeutics has a 52-week low of $1.58 and a 52-week high of $3.94. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $2.33 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.13. The stock has a market cap of $345.81 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.71 and a beta of 1.01.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio acquired a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the third quarter worth approximately $606,000. Anson Funds Management LP acquired a new position in Esperion Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth $540,000. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. increased its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 71.0% in the 3rd quarter. Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. now owns 711,278 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,174,000 after purchasing an additional 295,378 shares during the last quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP raised its stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 66.8% in the 3rd quarter. Wellington Management Group LLP now owns 602,936 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $995,000 after purchasing an additional 241,512 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Wasatch Advisors LP increased its holdings in Esperion Therapeutics by 38.4% in the third quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 23,346,013 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $38,521,000 after buying an additional 6,483,070 shares during the last quarter. 47.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Esperion Therapeutics Company Profile

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc, a pharmaceutical company, develops and commercializes medicines for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Its marketed products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid) and NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) tablets that are oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who require additional lowering of LDL-C.