Short Interest in Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF) Decreases By 14.8%

Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF) saw a large decrease in short interest in February. As of February 27th, there was short interest totaling 7,315,855 shares, a decrease of 14.8% from the February 12th total of 8,583,338 shares. Approximately 7.2% of the company’s stock are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 2,561,878 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.9 days. Based on an average daily volume of 2,561,878 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.9 days. Approximately 7.2% of the company’s stock are short sold.

Herbalife Stock Performance

Shares of HLF traded up $0.27 on Tuesday, reaching $15.56. The stock had a trading volume of 769,390 shares, compared to its average volume of 2,025,440. Herbalife has a 12-month low of $6.20 and a 12-month high of $20.40. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.61 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 7.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.91 and a beta of 0.83. The company has a 50-day simple moving average of $16.83 and a 200-day simple moving average of $12.71.

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, February 18th. The company reported $0.45 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $0.48 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $1.28 billion during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.24 billion. Herbalife had a negative return on equity of 35.02% and a net margin of 4.53%.Herbalife’s revenue for the quarter was up 6.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned $0.36 earnings per share. On average, analysts expect that Herbalife will post 1.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of HLF. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd purchased a new stake in Herbalife in the fourth quarter worth about $32,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Herbalife during the third quarter valued at approximately $35,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Herbalife by 115.6% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 7,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 3,766 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of Herbalife in the 3rd quarter worth approximately $65,000. Finally, Quarry LP grew its stake in shares of Herbalife by 49,105.3% in the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 9,349 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after buying an additional 9,330 shares during the last quarter.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

A number of analysts recently commented on HLF shares. Zacks Research raised Herbalife from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 19th. Citigroup reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $21.00 price target (up from $17.00) on shares of Herbalife in a report on Thursday, February 19th. Argus set a $15.00 price objective on Herbalife in a research note on Wednesday, November 26th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Herbalife in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. Finally, Maxim Group assumed coverage on Herbalife in a research report on Tuesday, January 6th. They set a “buy” rating and a $20.00 target price on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have issued a Buy rating and two have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Herbalife has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $16.60.

About Herbalife

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) operates as a global multi-level marketing company specializing in weight-management, nutritional supplement, sports nutrition and personal care products. Its portfolio includes protein shakes, vitamins, energy and fitness supplements, hydration products and skin and hair care items, all formulated to support wellness, performance and healthy living. Products are manufactured in GMP-certified facilities to ensure consistent quality and safety standards.

Founded in 1980 by Mark R.