Assenagon Asset Management S.A. Purchases 10,290 Shares of United Therapeutics Co. (NASDAQ:UTHR)

Assenagon Asset Management S.A. increased its position in shares of United Therapeutics Co. (NASDAQ:UTHR) by 18.7% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 65,405 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 10,290 shares during the period. Assenagon Asset Management S.A.’s holdings in United Therapeutics were worth $20,162,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of the company. Cerity Partners LLC raised its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 30.4% during the 4th quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 11,588 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $4,098,000 after purchasing an additional 2,702 shares during the period. Korea Investment CORP raised its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 6.2% during the 4th quarter. Korea Investment CORP now owns 39,289 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $13,863,000 after purchasing an additional 2,300 shares during the period. Illumine Investment Management LLC bought a new stake in United Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at $3,015,000. Nepsis Inc. increased its holdings in United Therapeutics by 6.7% in the 1st quarter. Nepsis Inc. now owns 58,574 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $18,057,000 after acquiring an additional 3,653 shares during the last quarter. Finally, ExodusPoint Capital Management LP bought a new stake in United Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at $1,899,000. 94.08% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, EVP Paul A. Mahon sold 11,000 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Thursday, May 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $316.07, for a total transaction of $3,476,770.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president now directly owns 36,781 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $11,625,370.67. The trade was a 23.02% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, CFO James Edgemond sold 12,000 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Monday, June 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $325.37, for a total transaction of $3,904,440.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 8,118 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,641,353.66. This represents a 59.65% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 68,500 shares of company stock valued at $20,828,390. Company insiders own 10.30% of the company’s stock.

United Therapeutics Stock Up 3.5%

Shares of NASDAQ:UTHR opened at $286.14 on Friday. United Therapeutics Co. has a 52 week low of $266.98 and a 52 week high of $417.82. The stock has a market capitalization of $12.91 billion, a P/E ratio of 12.57, a PEG ratio of 0.97 and a beta of 0.57. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $300.43 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $331.51.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, April 30th. The biotechnology company reported $6.63 EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $6.29 by $0.34. United Therapeutics had a net margin of 40.31% and a return on equity of 19.22%. The business had revenue of $794.40 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $726.82 million. During the same period last year, the company posted $6.17 EPS. The business’s revenue was up 17.2% on a year-over-year basis. On average, analysts expect that United Therapeutics Co. will post 24.48 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of brokerages have issued reports on UTHR. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $425.00 price target on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Monday, May 5th. Morgan Stanley lifted their price target on shares of United Therapeutics from $346.00 to $348.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, May 1st. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of United Therapeutics from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, May 2nd. Cantor Fitzgerald began coverage on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Monday, June 2nd. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $405.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company reiterated an “equal weight” rating and issued a $314.00 price target (down from $395.00) on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Friday, April 25th. Four investment analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and ten have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $393.08.

United Therapeutics Profile

United Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. The company offers Tyvaso DPI, an inhaled dry powder via pre-filled and single-use cartridges; Tyvaso, an inhaled solution via ultrasonic nebulizer; Remodulin (treprostinil) injection to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to diminish symptoms associated with exercise; Orenitram, a tablet dosage form of treprostinil, to delay disease progression and improve exercise capacity in PAH patients; and Adcirca, an oral PDE-5 inhibitor to enhance the exercise ability in PAH patients.