DURECT (NASDAQ:DRRX) Now Covered by Analysts at StockNews.com

Equities researchers at StockNews.com initiated coverage on shares of DURECT (NASDAQ:DRRX) in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday. The brokerage set a “sell” rating on the specialty pharmaceutical company’s stock.

Separately, HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of DURECT in a research note on Thursday, September 26th.

DURECT Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:DRRX opened at $1.36 on Wednesday. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $1.44 and its 200-day simple moving average is $1.30. DURECT has a one year low of $0.47 and a one year high of $3.14. The firm has a market cap of $42.21 million, a PE ratio of -1.43 and a beta of 1.14.

DURECT (NASDAQ:DRRX) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 13th. The specialty pharmaceutical company reported ($0.12) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.17) by $0.05. DURECT had a negative return on equity of 261.43% and a negative net margin of 187.80%. The company had revenue of $2.17 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $2.49 million. During the same period last year, the business posted ($0.46) EPS. Equities research analysts predict that DURECT will post -0.8 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of DURECT by 41.3% during the 2nd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 21,550 shares of the specialty pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $28,000 after purchasing an additional 6,300 shares during the last quarter. Gagnon Securities LLC raised its holdings in DURECT by 6.0% in the first quarter. Gagnon Securities LLC now owns 380,131 shares of the specialty pharmaceutical company’s stock worth $460,000 after purchasing an additional 21,425 shares in the last quarter. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. lifted its position in shares of DURECT by 10.8% during the first quarter. Tocqueville Asset Management L.P. now owns 256,220 shares of the specialty pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $310,000 after buying an additional 25,000 shares during the last quarter. Accredited Investors Inc. bought a new stake in shares of DURECT in the 2nd quarter valued at about $113,000. Finally, Richmond Brothers Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of DURECT by 48.2% in the 1st quarter. Richmond Brothers Inc. now owns 768,344 shares of the specialty pharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $930,000 after buying an additional 250,050 shares in the last quarter. 28.03% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

DURECT Company Profile

DURECT Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, develops medicines based on its epigenetic regulator program. The company's lead product larsucosterol (DUR-928), an endogenous, orally bioavailable small molecule that is in Phase IIb clinical trial to play a regulatory role in lipid metabolism, stress and inflammatory responses, and cell death and survival to treat alcohol-associated hepatitis, as well as completed Phase Ib clinical trial to treat patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.