Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) Shares Gap Down – Here’s Why

Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF)’s share price gapped down prior to trading on Monday . The stock had previously closed at $12.43, but opened at $11.33. Herbalife shares last traded at $10.8860, with a volume of 658,243 shares.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several research analysts have issued reports on HLF shares. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Herbalife from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, July 24th. Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and set a $17.00 target price (down from $21.00) on shares of Herbalife in a research note on Friday, August 7th. Finally, Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Herbalife from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, August 8th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and four have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus price target of $17.00.

Herbalife Trading Up 4.2%

The stock’s 50-day moving average price is $12.39 and its 200-day moving average price is $13.93. The company has a market cap of $1.20 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.39, a PEG ratio of 0.36 and a beta of 0.85.

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The company reported $0.51 EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.54 by ($0.03). The firm had revenue of $1.33 billion during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $1.31 billion. Herbalife had a net margin of 3.16% and a negative return on equity of 43.90%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 5.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned $0.59 earnings per share. On average, research analysts anticipate that Herbalife Ltd will post 2.68 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Trading of Herbalife

Several hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of HLF. Inspire Investing LLC raised its holdings in Herbalife by 291.2% during the first quarter. Inspire Investing LLC now owns 141,277 shares of the company’s stock worth $2,080,000 after buying an additional 105,160 shares during the last quarter. Principal Financial Group Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Herbalife in the 1st quarter worth about $1,809,000. Landscape Capital Management L.L.C. bought a new position in Herbalife in the 4th quarter valued at about $1,795,000. Pacer Advisors Inc. bought a new position in Herbalife in the 1st quarter valued at about $9,491,000. Finally, Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership boosted its stake in Herbalife by 11.5% during the 1st quarter. Arrowstreet Capital Limited Partnership now owns 2,596,795 shares of the company’s stock valued at $38,225,000 after purchasing an additional 267,539 shares during the last quarter.

About Herbalife

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) operates as a global multi-level marketing company specializing in weight-management, nutritional supplement, sports nutrition and personal care products. Its portfolio includes protein shakes, vitamins, energy and fitness supplements, hydration products and skin and hair care items, all formulated to support wellness, performance and healthy living. Products are manufactured in GMP-certified facilities to ensure consistent quality and safety standards.

Founded in 1980 by Mark R.