Natera, Inc. Insider Sells Significant Amount of Stock

Natera, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTRA) recently experienced a significant insider transaction when Solomon Moshkevich, a key insider at the company, sold 6,000 shares of stock on March 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $143.29, amounting to a total of $859,740. Following this sale, Moshkevich now directly holds 143,768 shares of Natera, valued at approximately $20,600,516.72. This latest transaction marks a decrease of 4.01% in his ownership stake.

Prior Insider Transactions

In addition to this recent sale, Moshkevich has been active in the stock market regarding Natera shares. Earlier, on January 29th, he sold 5,201 shares at an average rate of $165.87, totaling $862,689.87. Just before that, on January 22nd, he sold a much larger lot of 24,861 shares for $4,101,319.17, at an average price of $164.97. Furthermore, on December 9th, Moshkevich sold 4,858 shares at an average price of $166.59, with a total value of $809,294.22. These actions reflect ongoing trading strategies amid shifts in stock valuations.

Natera's Stock Performance

During trading on a recent Friday, shares of Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) dipped by $0.84 to close at $140.66. Approximately 1,922,565 shares changed hands throughout the day, surpassing the company's average daily trading volume of 1,328,463. The stock has experienced volatility, marked by a 50-day moving average of $166.01 and a 200-day moving average of $147.58. Currently, Natera holds a market cap of $18.57 billion, with a PE ratio of -79.92 and a beta of 1.66, indicating a higher volatility compared to the market. Natera has a 52-week low of $83.13 and a high of $183.00, showcasing substantial fluctuations in its stock price.

Recent Earnings Report

Natera released its earnings results on February 27th, where it reported an earnings per share loss of ($0.41), closely beating analyst expectations of ($0.42) by a small margin. The company reported revenue of $476.10 million for the quarter, again surpassing consensus estimates that stood at $447.91 million. However, Natera noted negative metrics with a return on equity of -26.23% and a net margin of -14.01%. Analysts are projecting that Natera, Inc. will incur a larger loss, estimating -1.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors' Activities

In recent months, several institutional investors and hedge funds have modified their holdings concerning Natera. For instance, Universal Beteiligungs und Servicegesellschaft mbH acquired a new stake during the fourth quarter worth approximately $19,210,000. Similarly, HWG Holdings LP increased its position by 173.0%, now owning 40,739 shares after acquiring an additional 25,819 shares in the last quarter. Polar Asset Management Partners also expanded its shareholding, now holding 96,105 shares worth around $15,213,000 after an increase. Overall, about 99.90% of Natera's stock is currently held by institutional investors.

Analyst Ratings Updates

Numerous brokerages have recently analyzed Natera's stock. For instance, Morgan Stanley raised its price target from $176.00 to $185.00, giving an “overweight” rating in a report. Guggenheim also increased its target from $170.00 to $200.00, rating Natera as a “buy.” Canaccord Genuity reaffirmed a “buy” rating while maintaining a price objective of $180.00. Furthermore, JPMorgan Chase upped its target from $160.00 to $200.00, rating the stock as “overweight.” Despite these ratings, StockNews.com lowered Natera from a “hold” to a “sell” rating recently. There is a mixture of sentiment among analysts regarding Natera’s stock, with one holding a sell rating and sixteen issuing buy ratings based on market analysis. According to MarketBeat, Natera is seen as a "Moderate Buy" with a consensus target price of $173.56.

Natera Company Profile

Natera, Inc. is a prominent diagnostics firm that develops and markets molecular testing services globally. The company's product lineup includes various tests like Panorama, which screens for chromosomal abnormalities in pregnancies; Horizon, a carrier screening test for genetic conditions; Vistara, which screens for specific single-gene disorders; Anora, a test analyzing miscarriage tissue; and Empower, a hereditary cancer screening product. Natera continues to expand its impact within the diagnostic testing space by offering innovative solutions for various health-related needs.

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