Aquestive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AQST) Shares Gap Up – Still a Buy?

Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AQST) gapped up before the market opened on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $2.95, but opened at $4.00. Aquestive Therapeutics shares last traded at $4.32, with a volume of 39,435,928 shares traded.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently commented on AQST. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Aquestive Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, January 21st. Zacks Research raised shares of Aquestive Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Friday, October 17th. Citigroup reissued an “outperform” rating on shares of Aquestive Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, October 9th. Piper Sandler lifted their price target on shares of Aquestive Therapeutics from $5.00 to $8.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, November 7th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered Aquestive Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday. Two equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $8.83.

Aquestive Therapeutics Stock Up 45.3%

The business’s fifty day moving average is $5.26 and its two-hundred day moving average is $5.22. The stock has a market cap of $522.77 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.99 and a beta of 1.65.

Aquestive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AQST) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported ($0.14) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.13) by ($0.01). The business had revenue of $12.81 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $12.94 million. As a group, sell-side analysts expect that Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. will post -0.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aquestive Therapeutics

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. Pictet Asset Management Holding SA acquired a new stake in shares of Aquestive Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at $94,000. Arizona State Retirement System acquired a new stake in Aquestive Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at $184,000. Arcataur Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Aquestive Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth about $239,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank purchased a new stake in Aquestive Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $420,000. Finally, MBM Wealth Consultants LLC purchased a new position in Aquestive Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $109,000. 32.45% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Aquestive Therapeutics Company Profile

Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of novel drug delivery systems. Leveraging its proprietary PharmFilm® technology, Aquestive designs thin-film formulations that facilitate sublingual, buccal and oral delivery of small molecules, offering rapid onset of action and improved patient compliance compared with traditional dosage forms.

The company’s lead product, Libervant® (diazepam) Buccal Film, is approved by the U.S.