Key Points
- United Therapeutics director Christopher Patusky sold 1,210 shares for $701,800 at an average price of $580, reducing his direct stake by 36.12% to 2,140 shares.
- The company’s latest quarter showed mixed results: revenue rose 4.1% year over year to $832.5 million, beating estimates, while EPS of $5.71 missed the $6.01 consensus.
- United Therapeutics authorized a $2 billion share buyback, allowing repurchases of up to 8.3% of its shares; analysts’ consensus rating is “Moderate Buy,” with a $676.40 average target price.
United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) Director Christopher Patusky sold 1,210 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, November 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $580.00, for a total value of $701,800.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director directly owned 2,140 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,241,200. The trade was a 36.12% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink.
United Therapeutics Price Performance
Shares of UTHR opened at $588.61 on Wednesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $25.07 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 22.21, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.97 and a beta of 0.49. United Therapeutics Corporation has a 1 year low of $449.58 and a 1 year high of $614.23. The business's 50 day simple moving average is $536.90 and its 200-day simple moving average is $534.57.
United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 4th. The biotechnology company reported $5.71 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of $6.01 by ($0.30). United Therapeutics had a net margin of 38.61% and a return on equity of 19.18%. The firm had revenue of $832.50 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $781.14 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the company posted $7.16 earnings per share. The firm's revenue was up 4.1% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, sell-side analysts expect that United Therapeutics Corporation will post 24.47 earnings per share for the current year.
United Therapeutics announced that its board has initiated a share buyback plan on Thursday, October 22nd that allows the company to buy back $2 billion in outstanding shares. This buyback authorization allows the biotechnology company to buy up to 8.3% of its shares through open market purchases. Share buyback plans are typically a sign that the company's board of directors believes its shares are undervalued.
Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades
UTHR has been the subject of several research reports. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and set a $850.00 price objective on shares of United Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, October 26th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a "buy" rating and issued a $728.00 target price on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, October 14th. Leerink Partners boosted their target price on shares of United Therapeutics from $685.00 to $725.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a report on Monday, October 19th. HC Wainwright initiated coverage on shares of United Therapeutics in a research report on Monday. They set a "buy" rating and a $660.00 target price on the stock. Finally, The Goldman Sachs Group reaffirmed a "sell" rating and issued a $368.00 price target on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, October 15th. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, United Therapeutics currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $676.40.
View Our Latest Stock Report on UTHR
Hedge Funds Weigh In On United Therapeutics
A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of UTHR. Toth Financial Advisory Corp increased its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 2,400.0% during the 2nd quarter. Toth Financial Advisory Corp now owns 50 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $27,000 after purchasing an additional 48 shares during the last quarter. Fiduciary Financial Advisors purchased a new stake in United Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at $30,000. Gen Wealth Partners Inc purchased a new stake in United Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at $34,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new stake in United Therapeutics in the second quarter worth $37,000. Finally, International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in United Therapeutics by 426.7% in the first quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 79 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $45,000 after buying an additional 64 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 94.08% of the company's stock.
United Therapeutics News Summary
Here are the key news stories impacting United Therapeutics this week:
- Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a $660 price target, implying roughly 12% upside from the cited share price. HC Wainwright ratings
- Neutral Sentiment: The company announced participation in November investor conferences, giving investors an opportunity to hear updates but not signaling a specific business development. Investor conference announcement
- Neutral Sentiment: A report listed short interest at zero shares. That figure suggests no reported short position, but offers little clear directional signal for the stock.
- Negative Sentiment: CEO Martine Rothblatt sold shares in multiple transactions on November 6 and 9, while director Christopher Patusky also sold shares on November 9. Insider sales can raise concern about sentiment, though they do not necessarily indicate a change in the company’s outlook. SEC filing
United Therapeutics Company Profile
(
Get Free Report)
United Therapeutics is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes treatments for serious diseases, with a primary focus on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Its therapies include treprostinil products delivered by injection, inhalation, or oral tablet, marketed under brands including Remodulin, Tyvaso, and Orenitram. The company also markets Unituxin, a treatment for high-risk neuroblastoma. Founded in 1996 by Martine Rothblatt, United Therapeutics is also pursuing technologies intended to address the shortage of transplantable organs.
Further Reading
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