Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Analysts

Shares of Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF) have earned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the six analysts that are presently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation and four have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $15.80.

A number of brokerages have commented on HLF. Mizuho set a $13.00 target price on Herbalife and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday, January 8th. Argus set a $15.00 price target on Herbalife in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. Weiss Ratings restated a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Herbalife in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. Maxim Group assumed coverage on Herbalife in a research note on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $20.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and set a $17.00 price target (up previously from $11.00) on shares of Herbalife in a report on Friday, December 12th.

Herbalife Price Performance

Shares of HLF opened at $15.89 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.64 billion, a PE ratio of 5.08 and a beta of 0.82. The business’s fifty day moving average price is $12.54 and its 200 day moving average price is $10.35. Herbalife has a 12-month low of $5.04 and a 12-month high of $15.98.

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.50 earnings per share for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.46 by $0.04. Herbalife had a net margin of 6.47% and a negative return on equity of 29.84%. The company had revenue of $1.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $1.27 billion. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned $0.57 earnings per share. The firm’s revenue was up 4.8% compared to the same quarter last year. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Herbalife will post 1.57 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other news, Director Lynda Cloud purchased 17,000 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 18th. The shares were bought at an average price of $8.97 per share, for a total transaction of $152,490.00. Following the completion of the purchase, the director owned 38,857 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $348,547.29. This trade represents a 77.78% increase in their ownership of the stock. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. In the last ninety days, insiders have bought 18,200 shares of company stock valued at $167,938. 1.73% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Herbalife

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. FNY Investment Advisers LLC bought a new stake in Herbalife during the 2nd quarter valued at $29,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Herbalife during the third quarter valued at $35,000. GAMMA Investing LLC raised its stake in shares of Herbalife by 115.6% during the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 7,024 shares of the company’s stock valued at $59,000 after purchasing an additional 3,766 shares in the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC bought a new stake in shares of Herbalife during the third quarter valued at about $65,000. Finally, Quarry LP lifted its holdings in Herbalife by 49,105.3% in the third quarter. Quarry LP now owns 9,349 shares of the company’s stock worth $79,000 after purchasing an additional 9,330 shares during the period.

Herbalife Company Profile

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.