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

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:ESPR) has earned a consensus recommendation of “Moderate Buy” from the six ratings firms that are currently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings 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 brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $6.75.

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of ESPR. Summit Financial LLC grew its stake in Esperion Therapeutics by 18.2% during the fourth quarter. Summit Financial LLC now owns 46,528 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $102,000 after buying an additional 7,150 shares during the period. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC increased its holdings in Esperion Therapeutics by 48.6% in the 4th quarter. Foundations Investment Advisors LLC now owns 30,172 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $66,000 after purchasing an additional 9,872 shares in the last quarter. Invesco Ltd. raised its position in Esperion Therapeutics by 15.5% in the fourth quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 97,833 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $215,000 after purchasing an additional 13,101 shares during the period. Two Sigma Advisers LP lifted its stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 0.4% during the fourth quarter. Two Sigma Advisers LP now owns 3,616,200 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $7,956,000 after purchasing an additional 16,100 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD boosted its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 15.3% in the fourth quarter. Price T Rowe Associates Inc. MD now owns 123,896 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $273,000 after buying an additional 16,404 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 47.39% of the company’s stock.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of ESPR opened at $1.61 on Friday. The company has a market capitalization of $318.54 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.52 and a beta of 1.04. Esperion Therapeutics has a 1 year low of $1.47 and a 1 year high of $3.94. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $1.79 and its 200 day simple moving average is $2.07.

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.