Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) Given “Neutral” Rating at HC Wainwright

HC Wainwright restated their neutral rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) in a research note released on Friday morning, Marketbeat reports. HC Wainwright currently has a $3.16 price target on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock.

A number of other research analysts also recently issued reports on ESPR. Needham & Company LLC raised their price target on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, March 3rd. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Esperion Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 14th. Citizens Jmp lifted their price objective on shares of Esperion Therapeutics from $4.00 to $5.00 and gave the company a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Friday, March 13th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Esperion Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, April 21st. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, three have assigned a Buy rating, two have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $5.54.

Esperion Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics stock traded up $1.11 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $3.11. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 182,142,694 shares, compared to its average volume of 7,529,994. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $2.55 and its 200 day simple moving average is $3.07. Esperion Therapeutics has a one year low of $0.69 and a one year high of $4.18. The stock has a market cap of $800.53 million, a P/E ratio of -18.29, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 1.62 and a beta of 1.17.

Esperion Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ESPR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Tuesday, March 10th. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.22 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.23 by ($0.01). The firm had revenue of $168.45 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $165.12 million. On average, sell-side analysts predict that Esperion Therapeutics will post 0.05 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Esperion Therapeutics

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of ESPR. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised its position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics by 68.4% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 945,491 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,506,000 after buying an additional 384,095 shares in the last quarter. AIGH Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth about $7,950,000. Royce & Associates LP bought a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth about $6,078,000. Integral Health Asset Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth about $3,975,000. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of Esperion Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at $476,000. 47.39% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Esperion Therapeutics News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Esperion Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Archimed agreed to acquire Esperion in a deal valuing the company at as much as ~$1.1 billion; shareholders are to receive $3.16 per share in cash plus the right to participate in up to $100 million of contingent milestone payments — the bid is the primary catalyst lifting the stock. Article Title Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $3.16 price target — the PT matches the deal cash price, effectively signaling analyst alignment with the offer price but leaving little upside under the transaction. Article Title
• Neutral Sentiment: Trading was temporarily halted ahead of the announcement for “news pending,” consistent with a material corporate event; halts are routine but can compress post‑halt volatility. (Internal trading halt notice)
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusual options activity: roughly 7,568 calls were bought — about a 212% increase versus typical daily call volume — indicating speculative or arbitrage positioning around the deal. This can amplify intraday moves but doesn’t change deal economics. (Options flow report)
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple shareholder‑rights law firms (Monteverde & Associates/M&A Class Action Firm, Ademi LLP, and Halper Sadeh LLC) have opened investigations alleging Esperion shareholders may not be receiving a fair price, which could lead to litigation, a negotiated price revision, or delays to closing. Article Title Article Title Article Title

About Esperion Therapeutics

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of oral, low–density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)–lowering therapies. The company’s research and development efforts center on small-molecule compounds designed to address atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease by targeting cholesterol biosynthesis pathways. Esperion seeks to provide novel treatment options for patients who require additional LDL-C reduction beyond what is achieved with statins or who are statin-intolerant.

The company’s lead products include NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid), an oral adenosine triphosphate–citrate lyase (ACL) inhibitor approved by the U.S.