HighVista Strategies LLC Grows Position in Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERA)

HighVista Strategies LLC grew its position in Vera Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VERA) by 140.2% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 22,010 shares of the company’s stock after purchasing an additional 12,848 shares during the period. HighVista Strategies LLC’s holdings in Vera Therapeutics were worth $973,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also modified their holdings of VERA. Samlyn Capital LLC lifted its position in Vera Therapeutics by 90.8% during the second quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 1,231,911 shares of the company’s stock valued at $44,571,000 after buying an additional 586,410 shares in the last quarter. First Light Asset Management LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Vera Therapeutics by 130.6% during the 2nd quarter. First Light Asset Management LLC now owns 1,005,723 shares of the company’s stock valued at $36,387,000 after acquiring an additional 569,590 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. increased its holdings in Vera Therapeutics by 31.5% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 2,148,714 shares of the company’s stock valued at $92,653,000 after purchasing an additional 515,106 shares in the last quarter. American Century Companies Inc. purchased a new position in Vera Therapeutics in the second quarter valued at about $14,015,000. Finally, Logos Global Management LP lifted its stake in shares of Vera Therapeutics by 65.2% during the second quarter. Logos Global Management LP now owns 950,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $34,371,000 after purchasing an additional 375,000 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.21% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In related news, Director Beth C. Seidenberg sold 15,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Monday, October 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $48.03, for a total transaction of $720,450.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now directly owns 131,553 shares in the company, valued at $6,318,490.59. This represents a 10.24 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Marshall Fordyce sold 15,625 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, September 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.50, for a total value of $585,937.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 307,972 shares in the company, valued at $11,548,950. This represents a 4.83 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 89,927 shares of company stock valued at $3,800,796. Company insiders own 21.70% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several equities research analysts recently commented on the company. Guggenheim raised their target price on Vera Therapeutics from $56.00 to $64.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. Scotiabank initiated coverage on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, October 16th. They set a “sector outperform” rating and a $60.00 target price on the stock. Evercore ISI raised shares of Vera Therapeutics to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, September 16th. Wedbush lifted their price target on shares of Vera Therapeutics from $30.00 to $38.00 and gave the stock a “neutral” rating in a research note on Friday, November 8th. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Vera Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $70.00 price objective for the company. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $59.22.

Vera Therapeutics Trading Down 0.4 %

Shares of NASDAQ VERA opened at $49.55 on Tuesday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $44.21 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $39.75. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a quick ratio of 13.76 and a current ratio of 13.76. Vera Therapeutics, Inc. has a 52-week low of $13.09 and a 52-week high of $51.61.

Vera Therapeutics (NASDAQ:VERA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 7th. The company reported ($0.85) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.64) by ($0.21). As a group, equities research analysts predict that Vera Therapeutics, Inc. will post -2.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Vera Therapeutics Profile

Vera Therapeutics, Inc, a clinical stage biotechnology company, focuses on developing and commercializing treatments for patients with serious immunological diseases. Its lead product candidate is atacicept, a fusion protein self-administered as a subcutaneous injection that is in Phase III clinical trial for patients with immunoglobulin A nephropathy; and for treatment of lupus nephritis that is in Phase II clinical trial.