Marshall Wace LLP Invests $4.10 Million in Verastem, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSTM)

Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new position in Verastem, Inc. (NASDAQ:VSTM - Free Report) in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 793,641 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock, valued at approximately $4,103,000. Marshall Wace LLP owned 1.78% of Verastem at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other large investors have also recently made changes to their positions in VSTM. AIGH Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Verastem during the 4th quarter worth about $13,778,000. Geode Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Verastem by 6.5% during the fourth quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 948,790 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $4,906,000 after buying an additional 58,191 shares during the period. Rosalind Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Verastem in the fourth quarter worth about $4,653,000. State Street Corp lifted its holdings in shares of Verastem by 18.2% in the third quarter. State Street Corp now owns 424,264 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $1,269,000 after buying an additional 65,265 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. boosted its position in shares of Verastem by 9.7% in the fourth quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 113,601 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $587,000 after acquiring an additional 10,000 shares during the period. 88.37% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Verastem Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ VSTM remained flat at $7.50 during trading hours on Friday. The company had a trading volume of 1,802,783 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,005,214. The business's 50-day moving average is $6.06 and its 200-day moving average is $5.21. The stock has a market cap of $386.18 million, a P/E ratio of -2.35 and a beta of 0.57. Verastem, Inc. has a 52 week low of $2.10 and a 52 week high of $13.52. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 2.77, a current ratio of 3.23 and a quick ratio of 3.23.

Verastem (NASDAQ:VSTM - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 20th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.33) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.76) by ($0.57). As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Verastem, Inc. will post -3.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently weighed in on VSTM shares. BTIG Research upped their target price on shares of Verastem from $13.00 to $20.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Tuesday, December 31st. Royal Bank of Canada decreased their price target on shares of Verastem from $16.00 to $14.00 and set an "outperform" rating on the stock in a report on Friday, March 21st. B. Riley lifted their price objective on Verastem from $7.00 to $9.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, January 31st. HC Wainwright boosted their target price on Verastem from $7.00 to $10.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research report on Monday, March 24th. Finally, StockNews.com cut Verastem from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a report on Friday, April 18th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and ten have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $13.89.

Verastem Profile

Verastem, Inc, a development-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing drugs for the treatment of cancer in the United States. Its product candidates are Avutometinib, an orally available small molecule RAF/MEK clamp that inhibits the ras sarcoma RAF/MEK, ERK mitogen activated pathway kinase pathway which is involved in cell proliferation, migration, transformation, and survival of tumor cells; and Defactinib, an oral small molecule inhibitor of FAK and proline-rich tyrosine kinase for various solid tumors.