Investors Purchase Large Volume of United Therapeutics Call Options (NASDAQ:UTHR)

United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR) was the target of unusually large options trading activity on Friday. Stock investors acquired 12,089 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 220% compared to the typical volume of 3,777 call options.

United Therapeutics Stock Down 1.5%

Shares of United Therapeutics stock traded down $8.39 on Friday, hitting $533.12. 654,280 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 992,596. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $513.64 and a 200 day moving average price of $540.40. The stock has a market capitalization of $22.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 19.07, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 3.87 and a beta of 0.49. United Therapeutics has a 1-year low of $409.07 and a 1-year high of $609.35.

United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The biotechnology company reported $7.27 EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of $6.86 by $0.41. United Therapeutics had a return on equity of 20.18% and a net margin of 41.56%. The firm had revenue of $783.30 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $804.65 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned $6.41 earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was down 1.9% on a year-over-year basis. Research analysts forecast that United Therapeutics will post 26.40 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the company. Bank of America cut their price target on United Therapeutics from $620.00 to $613.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a research note on Friday, July 10th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on United Therapeutics from $677.00 to $708.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 8th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $728.00 price target on shares of United Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday. The Goldman Sachs Group reissued a “sell” rating and issued a $368.00 price objective on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Thursday. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating on shares of United Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, October 1st. Eleven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $642.69.

More United Therapeutics News

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

• Positive Sentiment: United Therapeutics settled six patent and antitrust disputes with Liquidia, reducing legal uncertainty around Liquidia’s YUTREPIA inhaled treprostinil treatment. The agreement limits YUTREPIA’s label, including excluding pulmonary hypertension associated with interstitial lung disease, which could help protect UTHR’s competitive position. United Therapeutics Settles Litigation And Resets Pulmonary Hypertension Competition
• Positive Sentiment: The settlement is expected to provide United Therapeutics with approximately $380.7 million in payments, while giving investors greater visibility into the competitive landscape for treprostinil therapies. United Therapeutics Stock May Be Undervalued Following the Litigation Settlement
• Positive Sentiment: Traders purchased 12,089 UTHR call options, roughly 220% above average daily volume. The activity signals increased bullish speculation, although options flow does not guarantee sustained buying in the shares.
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst sentiment remains generally favorable. Jefferies reaffirmed a Buy rating with a $728 target, and the broader analyst consensus remains “Moderate Buy,” with targets above recent trading levels.
• Neutral Sentiment: CEO Martine Rothblatt sold 9,500 shares for approximately $5.13 million, reducing her holdings by 2.84%. She still retains a substantial position, so the sale may reflect personal financial planning rather than a change in the company’s outlook. United Therapeutics CEO Stock Sale SEC Filing
• Negative Sentiment: EVP Paul Mahon sold 8,300 shares for approximately $4.52 million, cutting his direct stake by 15.52%. The second executive sale disclosed within two days may weigh on sentiment, even though insider transactions alone do not establish a deterioration in fundamentals. United Therapeutics EVP Stock Sale SEC Filing

Insider Buying and Selling at United Therapeutics

In other news, CEO Martine Rothblatt sold 9,500 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Monday, August 3rd. The shares were sold at an average price of $516.06, for a total transaction of $4,902,570.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 324,443 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $167,432,054.58. This represents a 2.84% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders have sold a total of 392,028 shares of company stock valued at $202,884,996 in the last three months. Corporate insiders own 8.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of United Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in UTHR. Arjuna Capital raised its holdings in shares of United Therapeutics by 2.8% during the 1st quarter. Arjuna Capital now owns 662 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $393,000 after acquiring an additional 18 shares during the period. Sage Rhino Capital LLC boosted its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 5.1% during the 1st quarter. Sage Rhino Capital LLC now owns 474 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $281,000 after acquiring an additional 23 shares during the last quarter. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC boosted its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 5.4% during the 1st quarter. Bryn Mawr Trust Advisors LLC now owns 465 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $276,000 after acquiring an additional 24 shares during the last quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. boosted its position in shares of United Therapeutics by 4.1% during the 1st quarter. Meeder Advisory Services Inc. now owns 661 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $392,000 after acquiring an additional 26 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Kera Capital Partners Inc. grew its holdings in shares of United Therapeutics by 6.1% in the first quarter. Kera Capital Partners Inc. now owns 471 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $279,000 after purchasing an additional 27 shares during the period. 94.08% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

United Therapeutics Company Profile

United Therapeutics Corporation is a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and other serious cardiopulmonary conditions. The company’s products include Tyvaso and Tyvaso DPI, inhaled formulations of treprostinil; Remodulin, an injectable form of treprostinil; Orenitram, an oral treprostinil product; and Adcirca, a tadalafil-based PAH treatment.

United Therapeutics markets its therapies primarily in the United States and internationally through commercial and regulatory activities in additional markets.