Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) Shares Gap Up – Still a Buy?

Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF) shares gapped up before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $12.38, but opened at $13.00. Herbalife shares last traded at $12.4650, with a volume of 402,046 shares changing hands.

Analyst Ratings Changes

HLF has been the subject of a number of research reports. Citigroup reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $17.00 price target (down from $21.00) on shares of Herbalife in a research report on Friday, August 7th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Herbalife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. Finally, Weiss Ratings lowered Herbalife from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research report on Friday, July 24th. Three equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have given a Hold rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $17.00.

Herbalife Price Performance

The stock has a market cap of $1.30 billion, a PE ratio of 8.02, a PEG ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 0.85. The company’s fifty day moving average is $12.38 and its 200-day moving average is $13.83.

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.54 by ($0.03). The business had revenue of $1.33 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.31 billion. Herbalife had a net margin of 3.16% and a negative return on equity of 43.90%. Herbalife’s revenue for the quarter was up 5.4% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the company posted $0.59 earnings per share. Analysts expect that Herbalife Ltd will post 2.68 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Herbalife

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new position in Herbalife during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $32,000. KBC Group NV purchased a new stake in Herbalife in the 1st quarter worth approximately $44,000. Advisory Services Network LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Herbalife during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $65,000. Quarry LP grew its stake in shares of Herbalife by 49,105.3% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 9,349 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after purchasing an additional 9,330 shares during the period. Finally, EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC increased its holdings in shares of Herbalife by 512.7% during the 4th quarter. EverSource Wealth Advisors LLC now owns 6,544 shares of the company’s stock valued at $84,000 after purchasing an additional 5,476 shares in the last quarter.

About Herbalife

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) operates as a global multi-level marketing company specializing in weight-management, nutritional supplement, sports nutrition and personal care products. Its portfolio includes protein shakes, vitamins, energy and fitness supplements, hydration products and skin and hair care items, all formulated to support wellness, performance and healthy living. Products are manufactured in GMP-certified facilities to ensure consistent quality and safety standards.

Founded in 1980 by Mark R.