Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) Given Average Rating of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) have been given a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by the six brokerages that are covering the company, MarketBeat reports. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, one has given a hold recommendation and four have issued a buy recommendation on the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokerages that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $6.75.

A number of brokerages recently commented on ESPR. JMP Securities reiterated a “market outperform” rating and issued a $4.00 price objective (down from $7.00) on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, February 11th. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $6.00 price target on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, December 13th. Cantor Fitzgerald assumed coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, December 17th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $8.00 price objective on the stock. The Goldman Sachs Group initiated coverage on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, December 18th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $4.00 target price for the company. Finally, HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $16.00 target price on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, March 20th.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Esperion Therapeutics

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the company. Wasatch Advisors LP increased its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 38.4% in the 3rd quarter. Wasatch Advisors LP now owns 23,346,013 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $38,521,000 after buying an additional 6,483,070 shares in the last quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC grew its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 48.6% in the fourth quarter. Nuveen Asset Management LLC now owns 3,119,253 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $6,862,000 after acquiring an additional 1,020,243 shares during the period. Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 45.1% in the fourth quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 1,629,980 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $3,586,000 after acquiring an additional 506,428 shares in the last quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 18.6% during the fourth quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 2,454,216 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $5,399,000 after purchasing an additional 385,099 shares during the period. Finally, Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio bought a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at about $606,000. 47.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Esperion Therapeutics Trading Down 2.1 %

Shares of ESPR stock opened at $1.41 on Friday. Esperion Therapeutics has a 1 year low of $1.35 and a 1 year high of $3.94. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $1.75 and its 200-day moving average is $2.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $278.97 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.20 and a beta of 1.04.

About Esperion Therapeutics

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc, a pharmaceutical company, develops and commercializes medicines for the treatment of patients with elevated low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Its marketed products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid) and NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe) tablets that are oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for the treatment of primary hyperlipidemia in adults with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease who require additional lowering of LDL-C.