Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) Given Consensus Recommendation of "Buy" by Analysts

Shares of Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL - Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of "Buy" from the seven research firms that are presently covering the firm, MarketBeat.com reports. Seven research analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation. The average 1-year target price among brokers that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $60.86.

Several research firms have issued reports on VCEL. HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating and set a $60.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a report on Friday, February 28th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their target price on shares of Vericel from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, February 3rd. StockNews.com raised shares of Vericel from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, March 8th. Truist Financial reduced their price objective on shares of Vericel from $61.00 to $51.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, April 11th. Finally, Stephens restated an "overweight" rating and set a $65.00 target price on shares of Vericel in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th.

Insider Activity at Vericel

In related news, CEO Dominick Colangelo sold 26,592 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Thursday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.78, for a total value of $1,217,381.76. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 259,997 shares in the company, valued at approximately $11,902,662.66. The trade was a 9.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robert L. Md Zerbe sold 2,500 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.50, for a total value of $156,250.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 26,595 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,662,187.50. This represents a 8.59 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders sold 58,942 shares of company stock valued at $2,724,548. Corporate insiders own 5.20% of the company's stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of VCEL. Arcadia Investment Management Corp MI purchased a new stake in Vericel during the fourth quarter valued at $48,000. GF Fund Management CO. LTD. purchased a new stake in shares of Vericel during the 4th quarter valued at about $57,000. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vericel by 511.1% in the 4th quarter. Smartleaf Asset Management LLC now owns 1,265 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $70,000 after acquiring an additional 1,058 shares during the last quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. grew its position in Vericel by 8.4% in the fourth quarter. Meeder Asset Management Inc. now owns 2,357 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $129,000 after acquiring an additional 183 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC increased its stake in Vericel by 34.8% during the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 2,895 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $129,000 after acquiring an additional 748 shares during the last quarter.

Vericel Stock Performance

Shares of VCEL stock traded up $0.63 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $40.05. 468,758 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 392,830. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.01 billion, a PE ratio of 667.61 and a beta of 1.61. Vericel has a 12 month low of $37.76 and a 12 month high of $63.00. The firm has a 50 day moving average price of $46.43 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $51.29.

Vericel Company Profile

Vericel Corporation, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of cellular therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care markets in North America. The company markets autologous cell therapy products comprising MACI, an autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane for the repair of symptomatic, and single or multiple full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee; Epicel, a permanent skin replacement humanitarian use device for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with deep-dermal or full-thickness burns; and NexoBrid, a biological orphan product for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns.