Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) Sets New 12-Month High – Here’s Why

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR)’s stock price hit a new 52-week high during trading on Thursday . The company traded as high as $4.18 and last traded at $3.9450, with a volume of 6299400 shares trading hands. The stock had previously closed at $3.84.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have commented on the stock. Citigroup reaffirmed a “market outperform” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, November 12th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Esperion Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, January 3rd. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and issued a $16.00 price target on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Friday, September 19th. Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Finally, Piper Sandler began coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research note on Tuesday, November 25th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $9.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, five have given a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $7.20.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Performance

The stock has a 50 day moving average of $3.50 and a two-hundred day moving average of $2.56. The stock has a market cap of $921.58 million, a PE ratio of -7.67, a PEG ratio of 11.39 and a beta of 1.04.

Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, November 6th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.16) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.09) by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $87.31 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $78.33 million. Analysts expect that Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. will post -0.29 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Esperion Therapeutics

In other Esperion Therapeutics news, CFO Benjamin Halladay sold 7,337 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $3.67, for a total transaction of $26,926.79. Following the sale, the chief financial officer directly owned 467,525 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,715,816.75. The trade was a 1.55% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. 1.70% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 209.2% in the 3rd quarter. DHJJ Financial Advisors Ltd. now owns 9,430 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 6,380 shares during the period. Vanguard Personalized Indexing Management LLC purchased a new position in Esperion Therapeutics during the third quarter valued at approximately $29,000. R Squared Ltd acquired a new position in Esperion Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. CWM LLC increased its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 46.5% in the 3rd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 19,674 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $52,000 after buying an additional 6,249 shares during the period. Finally, Sanders Morris Harris LLC purchased a new stake in Esperion Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $53,000. 47.39% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Esperion Therapeutics Company Profile

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.