Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) Sees Large Volume Increase – What’s Next?

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) saw an uptick in trading volume on Monday . 8,005,833 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 3% from the previous session’s volume of 7,745,387 shares.The stock last traded at $3.1150 and had previously closed at $3.11.

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Esperion Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Saturday, March 14th. Needham & Company LLC increased their price objective on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, April 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald lowered shares of Esperion Therapeutics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Friday. Finally, Citizens Jmp increased their price objective on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a report on Friday, March 13th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have issued a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $5.54.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Up 0.2%

The business’s fifty day moving average is $2.55 and its two-hundred day moving average is $3.08. The stock has a market capitalization of $801.80 million, a PE ratio of -18.32, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.91.

Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, March 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.22 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.23 by ($0.01). The company had revenue of $168.45 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $165.12 million. Sell-side analysts expect that Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. will post 0.05 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Hsbc Holdings PLC grew its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 160.1% in the first quarter. Hsbc Holdings PLC now owns 48,141 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $132,000 after purchasing an additional 29,631 shares in the last quarter. AIGH Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 10.0% in the first quarter. AIGH Capital Management LLC now owns 4,400,000 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $12,056,000 after purchasing an additional 400,000 shares in the last quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP grew its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 66.9% in the first quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 15,768,897 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $43,207,000 after purchasing an additional 6,323,138 shares in the last quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 151.0% in the first quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 127,983 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $351,000 after purchasing an additional 76,986 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd grew its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 17.6% in the fourth quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 36,744 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $136,000 after purchasing an additional 5,492 shares in the last quarter. 47.39% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Esperion Therapeutics

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of oral, low–density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies. The company’s research and development efforts center on small-molecule compounds designed to address atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by targeting cholesterol biosynthesis pathways. Esperion seeks to provide novel treatment options for patients who require additional LDL-C reduction beyond what is achieved with statins or who are statin-intolerant.

The company’s lead products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid), an oral adenosine triphosphate–citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor approved by the U.S.