StockNews.com Lowers United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) to Buy

StockNews.com downgraded shares of United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research note published on Tuesday.

Several other analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Wells Fargo & Company raised their target price on United Therapeutics from $309.00 to $325.00 and gave the stock an overweight rating in a research note on Thursday, March 7th. HC Wainwright reissued a buy rating and issued a $300.00 target price on shares of United Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. Wedbush reissued an outperform rating and issued a $308.00 target price on shares of United Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, February 22nd. SVB Leerink began coverage on United Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, February 5th. They issued an outperform rating and a $330.00 target price on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group raised United Therapeutics from a sell rating to a neutral rating and raised their target price for the stock from $213.00 to $215.00 in a research note on Monday, February 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy and an average price target of $294.40.

United Therapeutics Trading Down 5.6 %

Shares of UTHR stock opened at $229.72 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $10.81 billion, a PE ratio of 11.58 and a beta of 0.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05, a quick ratio of 4.28 and a current ratio of 4.41. United Therapeutics has a 52-week low of $204.44 and a 52-week high of $261.54. The business’s fifty day moving average is $225.77 and its 200 day moving average is $227.41.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) last released its earnings results on Wednesday, February 21st. The biotechnology company reported $4.36 EPS for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $4.28 by $0.08. The business had revenue of $614.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $575.01 million. United Therapeutics had a return on equity of 17.72% and a net margin of 42.31%. The firm’s revenue was up 25.1% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm earned $2.67 earnings per share. On average, equities research analysts anticipate that United Therapeutics will post 23.32 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Paul A. Mahon sold 6,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.01, for a total value of $1,290,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 36,599 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,869,150.99. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. In other United Therapeutics news, EVP Paul A. Mahon sold 6,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, February 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $215.01, for a total transaction of $1,290,060.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now owns 36,599 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $7,869,150.99. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Martine A. Rothblatt sold 15,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, March 19th. The shares were sold at an average price of $236.59, for a total transaction of $3,548,850.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now directly owns 130 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $30,756.70. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders sold 76,680 shares of company stock valued at $17,886,630. Company insiders own 12.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. raised its position in United Therapeutics by 6.6% in the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 2,636 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $580,000 after purchasing an additional 164 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund raised its position in United Therapeutics by 540.5% in the 4th quarter. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund now owns 23,700 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $5,211,000 after purchasing an additional 20,000 shares during the period. Fisher Asset Management LLC raised its position in United Therapeutics by 5.8% in the 4th quarter. Fisher Asset Management LLC now owns 3,828 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $842,000 after purchasing an additional 209 shares during the period. Virtu Financial LLC purchased a new stake in United Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth about $1,353,000. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD raised its position in United Therapeutics by 31.7% in the 4th quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 32,045 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $7,048,000 after purchasing an additional 7,704 shares during the period. Institutional investors own 94.08% of the company’s stock.

United Therapeutics Company Profile

United Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. The company offers Tyvaso DPI, an inhaled dry powder via pre-filled and single-use cartridges; Tyvaso, an inhaled solution via ultrasonic nebulizer; Remodulin (treprostinil) injection to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to diminish symptoms associated with exercise; Orenitram, a tablet dosage form of treprostinil, to delay disease progression and improve exercise capacity in PAH patients; and Adcirca, an oral PDE-5 inhibitor to enhance the exercise ability in PAH patients.