Empowered Funds LLC Buys Shares of 4,761 Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL)

Empowered Funds LLC bought a new stake in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The fund bought 4,761 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock, valued at approximately $261,000.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. FMR LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vericel by 1.0% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,372,812 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $100,251,000 after buying an additional 22,461 shares in the last quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vericel by 1.7% during the 3rd quarter. Conestoga Capital Advisors LLC now owns 2,075,730 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $87,700,000 after buying an additional 34,360 shares in the last quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. lifted its stake in shares of Vericel by 37.4% during the 3rd quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. now owns 1,291,720 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $54,575,000 after buying an additional 351,550 shares in the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vericel by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,154,053 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $48,768,000 after buying an additional 9,613 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geneva Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Vericel by 61.4% during the 3rd quarter. Geneva Capital Management LLC now owns 1,104,386 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $46,660,000 after buying an additional 420,078 shares in the last quarter.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently commented on VCEL shares. BTIG Research upped their price target on shares of Vericel from $56.00 to $66.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 26th. StockNews.com upgraded shares of Vericel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 24th. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their target price on shares of Vericel from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $60.00 target price on shares of Vericel in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $63.14.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Jonathan Siegal sold 1,092 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.99, for a total transaction of $67,693.08. Following the sale, the insider now owns 1,206 shares in the company, valued at approximately $74,759.94. This trade represents a 47.52 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Jonathan Mark Hopper sold 10,000 shares of Vericel stock in a transaction on Monday, December 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $58.72, for a total transaction of $587,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 58,371 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,427,545.12. The trade was a 14.63 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 20,100 shares of company stock worth $1,206,072. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Vericel Stock Performance

Vericel stock opened at $52.00 on Friday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $57.75 and its 200-day moving average price is $51.54. The stock has a market cap of $2.57 billion, a P/E ratio of 866.81 and a beta of 1.72. Vericel Co. has a fifty-two week low of $39.12 and a fifty-two week high of $63.00.

Vericel Profile

Vericel Corporation, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of cellular therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care markets in North America. The company markets autologous cell therapy products comprising MACI, an autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane for the repair of symptomatic, and single or multiple full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee; Epicel, a permanent skin replacement humanitarian use device for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with deep-dermal or full-thickness burns; and NexoBrid, a biological orphan product for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns.