Xponance Inc. Invests $214,000 in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL)

Xponance Inc. acquired a new position in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 3,889 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock, valued at approximately $214,000.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also bought and sold shares of the company. Intech Investment Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Vericel in the 3rd quarter worth $563,000. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its stake in Vericel by 1.3% in the third quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 434,206 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $18,345,000 after acquiring an additional 5,504 shares during the last quarter. Cerity Partners LLC raised its position in Vericel by 123.2% during the third quarter. Cerity Partners LLC now owns 67,588 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $2,856,000 after purchasing an additional 37,311 shares in the last quarter. FMR LLC lifted its stake in Vericel by 1.0% during the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,372,812 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $100,251,000 after purchasing an additional 22,461 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quantbot Technologies LP purchased a new position in shares of Vericel in the 3rd quarter worth about $146,000.

Insider Activity at Vericel

In related news, CEO Dominick Colangelo sold 26,592 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.78, for a total value of $1,217,381.76. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 259,997 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,902,662.66. This trade represents a 9.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Also, insider Jonathan Siegal sold 3,908 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.99, for a total transaction of $242,256.92. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 1,206 shares in the company, valued at approximately $74,759.94. The trade was a 76.42 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders have sold a total of 34,092 shares of company stock worth $1,683,582 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 5.20% of the company’s stock.

Vericel Trading Down 3.4 %

Shares of NASDAQ:VCEL opened at $44.50 on Friday. The company has a 50-day moving average price of $53.23 and a 200-day moving average price of $51.68. The company has a market cap of $2.23 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 741.79 and a beta of 1.78. Vericel Co. has a 12 month low of $39.12 and a 12 month high of $63.00.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts recently weighed in on the company. Truist Financial restated a “buy” rating and issued a $61.00 target price (down previously from $67.00) on shares of Vericel in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. Stephens restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $65.00 price objective on shares of Vericel in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $60.00 target price on shares of Vericel in a report on Friday, February 28th. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on shares of Vericel from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Finally, StockNews.com raised Vericel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 8th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Vericel has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $62.29.

Vericel Company Profile

Vericel Corporation, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of cellular therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care markets in North America. The company markets autologous cell therapy products comprising MACI, an autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane for the repair of symptomatic, and single or multiple full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee; Epicel, a permanent skin replacement humanitarian use device for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with deep-dermal or full-thickness burns; and NexoBrid, a biological orphan product for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns.