Twist Bioscience Corporation (NASDAQ:TWST) Stock Now Rated “Moderate Buy” by Sell-Side Analysts

Shares of Twist Bioscience Corporation (NASDAQ:TWST) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the twelve ratings firms that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, two have given a hold rating and eight have assigned a buy rating to the company. The average 1 year price objective among brokerages that have covered the stock in the last year is $103.00.

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. Leerink Partners upped their target price on Twist Bioscience from $120.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, September 17th. Barclays raised their price target on Twist Bioscience from $65.00 to $95.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, June 24th. Guggenheim restated a “buy” rating on shares of Twist Bioscience in a report on Monday, August 24th. Evercore lowered shares of Twist Bioscience from an “outperform” rating to an “in-line” rating and set a $102.00 price objective for the company. in a research note on Monday, July 6th. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group increased their target price on shares of Twist Bioscience from $90.00 to $120.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, July 14th.

Trending Headlines about Twist Bioscience

Here are the key news stories impacting Twist Bioscience this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Twist’s partnership with Eli Lilly’s TuneLab AI-driven drug-discovery platform, under which Twist will serve as a preferred antibody-characterization data provider, strengthens its exposure to pharmaceutical research and artificial-intelligence applications. Twist Bioscience Expands AI Drug Discovery Exposure With Lilly TuneLab Partnership
• Positive Sentiment: The company’s latest quarterly results showed revenue of $118.4 million, up 23.2% year over year, while full-year revenue guidance was raised. Those results provide fundamental support for the recent rally, although Twist remains unprofitable and missed the latest quarterly EPS estimate.
• Neutral Sentiment: TWST recently reached a new 12-month high, making the shares vulnerable to consolidation as investors lock in gains after the partnership-driven advance. Twist Bioscience Hits New 12-Month High
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short interest was listed at zero shares as of September 24, implying no measurable short-covering pressure. Because the figure conflicts with the article’s description of a “significant increase,” investors should treat the data cautiously.
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Emily Leproust sold 1,687 shares, while SVP Paula Green and insider Dennis Cho sold 294 and 348 shares, respectively, at about $165.49. The filings state the sales were intended to cover tax withholding on vested equity awards, and each executive retained a substantial position, reducing—but not eliminating—the negative signal. SEC insider transaction filings
• Negative Sentiment: Quiver data shows 87 insider sales and no purchases over the past six months. Combined with ongoing losses and a stock price well above many analyst targets, the pattern may weigh on momentum and valuation-sensitive investors.

Twist Bioscience Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:TWST opened at $184.03 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $125.11 and its 200-day simple moving average is $86.46. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.03, a quick ratio of 2.38 and a current ratio of 2.67. Twist Bioscience has a one year low of $23.30 and a one year high of $185.22. The firm has a market cap of $11.54 billion, a PE ratio of -82.90 and a beta of 2.22.

Twist Bioscience (NASDAQ:TWST) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 3rd. The company reported ($0.56) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.51) by ($0.05). Twist Bioscience had a negative net margin of 31.66% and a negative return on equity of 28.64%. The firm had revenue of $118.38 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $114.55 million. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm posted $0.33 EPS. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was up 23.2% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, equities analysts predict that Twist Bioscience will post -2.12 EPS for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Twist Bioscience

In related news, CEO Emily Leproust sold 1,687 shares of Twist Bioscience stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 21st. The shares were sold at an average price of $165.49, for a total transaction of $279,181.63. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 618,902 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $102,422,091.98. This trade represents a 0.27% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Dennis Cho sold 348 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, September 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $165.49, for a total transaction of $57,590.52. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 73,303 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $12,130,913.47. This trade represents a 0.47% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Insiders sold a total of 516,574 shares of company stock worth $77,493,635 over the last quarter. 3.08% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Twist Bioscience

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of TWST. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in Twist Bioscience by 24.4% in the 2nd quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 943 shares of the company’s stock valued at $97,000 after purchasing an additional 185 shares during the last quarter. Allworth Financial LP boosted its stake in Twist Bioscience by 54.9% during the 2nd quarter. Allworth Financial LP now owns 601 shares of the company’s stock worth $62,000 after purchasing an additional 213 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. grew its holdings in shares of Twist Bioscience by 89.7% during the first quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 958 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,000 after buying an additional 453 shares in the last quarter. Trifecta Capital Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Twist Bioscience during the second quarter worth $63,000. Finally, Intech Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Twist Bioscience by 2.6% in the fourth quarter. Intech Investment Management LLC now owns 25,477 shares of the company’s stock valued at $808,000 after buying an additional 643 shares during the last quarter.

About Twist Bioscience

Twist Bioscience Corporation is a biotechnology company that develops and manufactures synthetic DNA using a proprietary silicon-based platform. The company serves researchers and organizations in biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, agriculture, industrial chemicals and academic research.

Its products include synthetic genes, gene fragments, oligonucleotides and DNA libraries used in research, drug discovery, diagnostics development and other applications. Twist also provides next-generation sequencing tools and products, including target-enrichment and sample-preparation solutions, as well as synthetic biology services that support the design and testing of biological systems.

Twist was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.