Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA) Short Interest Down 22.5% in April

Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in the month of April. As of April 15th, there was short interest totaling 3,771,349 shares, a decline of 22.5% from the March 31st total of 4,867,085 shares. Approximately 2.8% of the company’s shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,387,803 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.7 days.

Insider Transactions at Natera

In related news, insider John Fesko sold 3,594 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, February 3rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $231.02, for a total transaction of $830,285.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 178,081 shares in the company, valued at $41,140,272.62. This trade represents a 1.98% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, CEO Steven Leonard Chapman sold 85,299 shares of Natera stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $230.72, for a total value of $19,680,185.28. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 127,881 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $29,504,704.32. This represents a 40.01% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders sold a total of 138,069 shares of company stock worth $30,896,634 in the last 90 days. Insiders own 5.63% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in NTRA. Reflection Asset Management purchased a new stake in Natera during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,000. Palladiem LLC purchased a new position in Natera in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust raised its holdings in Natera by 103.8% during the fourth quarter. Bank of Jackson Hole Trust now owns 163 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $37,000 after purchasing an additional 83 shares in the last quarter. Kemnay Advisory Services Inc. acquired a new stake in Natera during the fourth quarter worth approximately $39,000. Finally, Flagship Harbor Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Natera during the 4th quarter worth approximately $41,000. 99.90% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Natera Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:NTRA traded up $11.41 during trading hours on Thursday, reaching $206.16. The stock had a trading volume of 1,772,709 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,225,262. Natera has a 1 year low of $131.81 and a 1 year high of $256.36. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $202.02 and its 200-day moving average is $213.75. The stock has a market capitalization of $29.34 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -134.75 and a beta of 1.68.

Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 26th. The medical research company reported $0.35 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.46) by $0.81. The business had revenue of $665.50 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $600.68 million. Natera had a negative net margin of 9.03% and a negative return on equity of 15.28%. During the same period in the previous year, the company earned ($0.41) EPS. Analysts forecast that Natera will post -1.71 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several brokerages recently weighed in on NTRA. Robert W. Baird upped their target price on shares of Natera from $239.00 to $257.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their price target on shares of Natera from $205.00 to $215.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Friday, February 27th. Wall Street Zen raised Natera from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 18th. Citigroup began coverage on Natera in a research note on Wednesday, January 7th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $300.00 price objective on the stock. Finally, TD Cowen reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Natera in a report on Wednesday, January 7th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, three have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $253.47.

More Natera News

Here are the key news stories impacting Natera this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Company fundamentals and analyst support: Natera reported an upside quarter in late February (revenue and EPS above consensus) and many firms maintain buy/overweight ratings and lofty price targets, which provide a bullish backdrop if execution holds. Should You Be Bullish on Natera?
• Positive Sentiment: Large institutional accumulation: recent filings show major funds (e.g., Coatue, Wellington) added material positions in recent quarters, which can support the stock and limit downside after headline-driven dips. Quiver Quant: Natera shares slide
• Neutral Sentiment: Insider sales mostly executed under pre‑arranged 10b5‑1 plans to cover tax withholding on vested awards — routine for tech/biotech compensation but often interpreted by markets as incremental supply. Example: multiple Form 4 filings, including sales by CFO Michael Brophy and others. InsiderTrades: Insider Selling Apr 30
• Negative Sentiment: Near‑term de‑risking ahead of May 7 earnings and supply/overhang concerns: market commentary points to position‑sizing into the print, a recent downgrade to “hold” in some summaries, and multiple Form 144/insider sale disclosures — all of which have pressured sentiment and increased short‑term volatility. Quiver Quant: Natera shares slide

About Natera

Natera is a global diagnostics company that develops and commercializes cell-free DNA and other genetic testing technologies for clinical applications. The company focuses on three principal areas: reproductive health (including non-invasive prenatal testing and carrier screening), oncology (tumor-informed assays for minimal residual disease and recurrence monitoring), and organ transplantation (cell-free DNA tests to detect allograft injury). Natera combines laboratory testing, proprietary bioinformatics, and clinical reporting to deliver personalized genetic information to clinicians and patients.

Key product offerings include Panorama, a non-invasive prenatal test that screens for fetal chromosomal abnormalities and select single-gene conditions; Horizon carrier screening for inherited conditions; Signatera, a personalized, tumor-informed assay used for detecting minimal residual disease and monitoring treatment response in cancer patients; and Prospera, a donor-derived cell-free DNA test used to assess the risk of organ rejection.