Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW) Holdings Cut by Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC

Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC lowered its position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences Co. (NYSE:EW - Free Report) by 29.4% during the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 21,558 shares of the medical research company's stock after selling 8,974 shares during the period. Orion Portfolio Solutions LLC's holdings in Edwards Lifesciences were worth $1,596,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Crowley Wealth Management Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences in the 4th quarter valued at about $26,000. Millstone Evans Group LLC acquired a new position in Edwards Lifesciences in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $29,000. Migdal Insurance & Financial Holdings Ltd. bought a new position in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $30,000. Roble Belko & Company Inc acquired a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences during the 4th quarter worth approximately $46,000. Finally, Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Edwards Lifesciences in the 4th quarter worth approximately $54,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 79.46% of the company's stock.

Edwards Lifesciences Price Performance

Shares of EW traded down $1.96 during trading hours on Tuesday, hitting $67.04. 5,604,853 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 4,862,752. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.06, a current ratio of 3.46 and a quick ratio of 2.89. The company has a market capitalization of $39.41 billion, a PE ratio of 9.62, a PEG ratio of 4.82 and a beta of 1.15. The firm has a fifty day simple moving average of $71.54 and a 200-day simple moving average of $70.65. Edwards Lifesciences Co. has a one year low of $58.93 and a one year high of $95.25.

Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE:EW - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, February 11th. The medical research company reported $0.59 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $0.55 by $0.04. Edwards Lifesciences had a return on equity of 19.40% and a net margin of 72.93%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Edwards Lifesciences Co. will post 2.45 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

EW has been the subject of several recent research reports. Barclays upped their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $88.00 to $90.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Thursday, February 13th. Bank of America upgraded shares of Edwards Lifesciences from a "neutral" rating to a "buy" rating and upped their target price for the stock from $82.00 to $90.00 in a research report on Monday, December 16th. Citigroup raised their price target on shares of Edwards Lifesciences from $81.00 to $83.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Morgan Stanley boosted their price objective on Edwards Lifesciences from $70.00 to $75.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. Finally, Evercore ISI lowered their target price on Edwards Lifesciences from $75.00 to $73.00 and set an "in-line" rating on the stock in a research report on Wednesday, February 12th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, fourteen have given a hold rating and eleven have given a buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Edwards Lifesciences currently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $79.95.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, VP Daniel J. Lippis sold 500 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Thursday, January 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $68.76, for a total transaction of $34,380.00. Following the transaction, the vice president now directly owns 23,189 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,594,475.64. The trade was a 2.11 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, VP Donald E. Bobo, Jr. sold 9,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $67.96, for a total value of $645,620.00. Following the sale, the vice president now owns 46,936 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,189,770.56. The trade was a 16.83 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold a total of 62,853 shares of company stock worth $4,534,247 over the last ninety days. 1.29% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Edwards Lifesciences Company Profile

Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies for structural heart disease and critical care monitoring in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for the minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL PRECISION and Cardioband names.