Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS) Earns "Buy" Rating from HC Wainwright

HC Wainwright restated their buy rating on shares of Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS - Free Report) in a research report sent to investors on Tuesday morning,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a $15.00 target price on the biopharmaceutical company's stock.

Separately, StockNews.com lowered shares of Emergent BioSolutions from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, March 5th.

Emergent BioSolutions Stock Down 6.2 %

Shares of Emergent BioSolutions stock traded down $0.30 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $4.53. The stock had a trading volume of 1,317,374 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,647,074. The company has a current ratio of 2.88, a quick ratio of 1.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.30. The company has a market capitalization of $246.15 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.10 and a beta of 1.80. Emergent BioSolutions has a 52 week low of $1.82 and a 52 week high of $15.10. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $7.44 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $8.54.

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Emergent BioSolutions (NYSE:EBS - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings results on Monday, March 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.05 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.35) by $0.40. Emergent BioSolutions had a negative return on equity of 9.91% and a negative net margin of 18.55%. The firm had revenue of $194.70 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $254.67 million. During the same quarter in the prior year, the firm posted ($0.77) EPS. Sell-side analysts predict that Emergent BioSolutions will post -0.63 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Emergent BioSolutions declared that its board has authorized a stock repurchase plan on Monday, March 31st that permits the company to repurchase $50.00 million in shares. This repurchase authorization permits the biopharmaceutical company to repurchase up to 19% of its shares through open market purchases. Shares repurchase plans are usually a sign that the company's management believes its shares are undervalued.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, Director Neal Franklin Fowler sold 35,000 shares of Emergent BioSolutions stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $5.83, for a total transaction of $204,050.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 101,100 shares in the company, valued at approximately $589,413. This trade represents a 25.72 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. 1.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Emergent BioSolutions

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Jacobs Levy Equity Management Inc. bought a new stake in Emergent BioSolutions in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,547,000. Oak Hill Advisors LP acquired a new stake in shares of Emergent BioSolutions during the third quarter worth $9,296,000. Barclays PLC boosted its position in shares of Emergent BioSolutions by 361.6% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 39,308 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $329,000 after acquiring an additional 30,792 shares during the period. Geode Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Emergent BioSolutions by 4.6% in the third quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 581,958 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $4,861,000 after acquiring an additional 25,776 shares during the period. Finally, New York State Common Retirement Fund grew its stake in shares of Emergent BioSolutions by 41.7% in the fourth quarter. New York State Common Retirement Fund now owns 306,286 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $2,928,000 after acquiring an additional 90,113 shares in the last quarter. 78.40% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Emergent BioSolutions

Emergent BioSolutions Inc, a life sciences company, provides preparedness and response solutions for accidental, deliberate, and naturally occurring public health threats in the United States. The company offers NARCAN Nasal Spray for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose; Vaxchora vaccine for the prevention of cholera; Vivotif vaccine for oral administration for the prevention of typhoid fever; Anthrasil for the treatment of inhalational anthrax; BioThrax, an anthrax vaccine; CYFENDUS for post-exposure prophylaxis of disease following suspected or confirmed exposure to Bacillus anthracis; and Raxibacumab injection for the treatment and prophylaxis of inhalational anthrax.