Insider Selling: United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR) COO Sells 22,500 Shares of Stock

United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ:UTHR) COO Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Monday, February 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $470.95, for a total value of $10,596,375.00. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link.

Michael Benkowitz also recently made the following trade(s):

• On Tuesday, January 20th, Michael Benkowitz sold 14,625 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $464.66, for a total transaction of $6,795,652.50.
• On Tuesday, January 20th, Michael Benkowitz sold 7,875 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $464.66, for a total transaction of $3,659,197.50.
• On Monday, January 26th, Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $471.91, for a total value of $10,617,975.00.
• On Monday, January 12th, Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $479.51, for a total value of $10,788,975.00.
• On Monday, January 5th, Michael Benkowitz sold 7,875 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.38, for a total transaction of $3,838,117.50.
• On Monday, January 5th, Michael Benkowitz sold 14,625 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $487.38, for a total transaction of $7,127,932.50.
• On Monday, December 29th, Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $502.79, for a total transaction of $11,312,775.00.
• On Monday, December 22nd, Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The shares were sold at an average price of $514.35, for a total value of $11,572,875.00.
• On Monday, December 15th, Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $496.30, for a total value of $11,166,750.00.
• On Monday, December 8th, Michael Benkowitz sold 22,500 shares of United Therapeutics stock. The stock was sold at an average price of $478.58, for a total value of $10,768,050.00.

United Therapeutics Stock Up 0.7%

UTHR traded up $3.27 on Tuesday, reaching $478.27. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 281,607 shares, compared to its average volume of 350,064. The company has a market capitalization of $20.59 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 18.12, a P/E/G ratio of 2.50 and a beta of 0.85. United Therapeutics Corporation has a fifty-two week low of $266.98 and a fifty-two week high of $519.99. The stock has a 50 day moving average of $487.22 and a two-hundred day moving average of $423.14.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages have weighed in on UTHR. Morgan Stanley set a $447.00 price objective on United Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, October 29th. Wells Fargo & Company raised their price target on United Therapeutics from $414.00 to $423.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “buy (b)” rating on shares of United Therapeutics in a report on Monday, December 29th. Royal Bank Of Canada increased their price target on United Therapeutics from $569.00 to $587.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Thursday, October 30th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $575.00 price objective on shares of United Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, November 19th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and three have assigned a Hold rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $509.50.

Institutional Trading of United Therapeutics

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Darwin Global Management Ltd. purchased a new position in United Therapeutics in the third quarter valued at about $317,617,000. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of United Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $136,453,000. Invesco Ltd. increased its stake in United Therapeutics by 90.2% in the 2nd quarter. Invesco Ltd. now owns 884,703 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $254,219,000 after purchasing an additional 419,588 shares in the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in United Therapeutics by 40.1% during the second quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 1,273,161 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $362,876,000 after purchasing an additional 364,713 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Baillie Gifford & Co. purchased a new stake in United Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $157,390,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 94.08% of the company’s stock.

United Therapeutics Company Profile

United Therapeutics Corporation (NASDAQ: UTHR) is a biotechnology company dedicated to the development and commercialization of unique products to address life-threatening illnesses. The company’s primary focus has been on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), where it has launched several therapies designed to improve functional capacity and quality of life for patients. Its marketed products include continuous infusion treprostinil (Remodulin), inhaled treprostinil (Tyvaso), oral treprostinil (Orenitram) and tadalafil (Adcirca), each tailored to different modes of administration and patient needs.