Victory Capital Management Inc. Increases Stock Position in Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR)

Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) by 602.8% in the 4th quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 173,083 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock after buying an additional 148,456 shares during the quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. owned 0.09% of Esperion Therapeutics worth $381,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds also recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 48.6% during the fourth quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,172 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $66,000 after purchasing an additional 9,872 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 1.0% during the third quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,069,117 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $3,414,000 after purchasing an additional 19,588 shares in the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 47.1% during the third quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC now owns 71,050 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $117,000 after purchasing an additional 22,734 shares in the last quarter. SJS Investment Consulting Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth about $55,000. Finally, J.W. Cole Advisors Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth about $66,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 47.39% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have recently issued reports on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $4.00 price target on the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $8.00 target price on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $6.00 target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Friday, December 13th. JMP Securities reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating and issued a $4.00 target price (down previously from $7.00) on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, February 11th. Finally, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $16.00 target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Thursday. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Esperion Therapeutics presently has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $6.75.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Up 4.3 %

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics stock opened at $1.69 on Friday. The firm has a market capitalization of $334.36 million, a P/E ratio of -2.64 and a beta of 1.04. Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. has a 52 week low of $1.47 and a 52 week high of $3.94. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $1.84 and its two-hundred day moving average is $2.07.

About Esperion Therapeutics

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.