StockNews.com Lowers Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) to Sell

Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) was downgraded by analysts at StockNews.com from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note issued on Tuesday.

Several other analysts have also commented on NTRA. Sanford C. Bernstein raised Natera from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating and set a $120.00 price objective on the stock in a report on Friday, April 5th. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their price objective on Natera from $87.00 to $100.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, February 29th. The Goldman Sachs Group lifted their price target on Natera from $90.00 to $100.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, April 15th. Craig Hallum assumed coverage on Natera in a research note on Monday, April 8th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $117.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $78.00 price target on shares of Natera in a research note on Tuesday, January 30th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and fourteen have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $86.40.

Natera Stock Performance

Natera stock traded up $2.43 during midday trading on Tuesday, hitting $91.04. 1,178,233 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,470,075. The firm has a market capitalization of $10.99 billion, a PE ratio of -24.02 and a beta of 1.37. Natera has a fifty-two week low of $36.90 and a fifty-two week high of $98.82. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $86.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $66.49. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.37, a quick ratio of 3.96 and a current ratio of 4.10.

Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, February 28th. The medical research company reported ($0.64) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.73) by $0.09. The firm had revenue of $311.11 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $300.38 million. Natera had a negative return on equity of 62.19% and a negative net margin of 40.16%. On average, sell-side analysts forecast that Natera will post -2.35 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CEO Steven Leonard Chapman sold 14,813 shares of Natera stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 29th. The stock was sold at an average price of $65.09, for a total transaction of $964,178.17. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 246,957 shares in the company, valued at $16,074,431.13. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. In other Natera news, CFO Michael Burkes Brophy sold 1,378 shares of Natera stock in a transaction on Tuesday, April 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $92.62, for a total value of $127,630.36. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 70,646 shares in the company, valued at $6,543,232.52. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Steven Leonard Chapman sold 14,813 shares of Natera stock in a transaction on Monday, January 29th. The shares were sold at an average price of $65.09, for a total value of $964,178.17. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 246,957 shares in the company, valued at approximately $16,074,431.13. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 448,782 shares of company stock worth $36,150,651. 9.42% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natera

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Arcadia Investment Management Corp MI raised its position in Natera by 47.8% in the first quarter. Arcadia Investment Management Corp MI now owns 538 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $49,000 after purchasing an additional 174 shares during the period. Fifth Third Bancorp raised its holdings in shares of Natera by 3.0% in the 4th quarter. Fifth Third Bancorp now owns 6,216 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $389,000 after buying an additional 179 shares during the period. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina raised its holdings in shares of Natera by 0.5% in the 3rd quarter. Treasurer of the State of North Carolina now owns 45,469 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $2,012,000 after buying an additional 230 shares during the period. Xponance Inc. raised its holdings in shares of Natera by 1.8% in the 3rd quarter. Xponance Inc. now owns 14,506 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $642,000 after buying an additional 261 shares during the period. Finally, Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group raised its holdings in shares of Natera by 109.3% in the 4th quarter. Oliver Lagore Vanvalin Investment Group now owns 745 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $47,000 after buying an additional 389 shares during the period. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 99.90% of the company’s stock.

About Natera

Natera, Inc, a diagnostics company, develops and commercializes molecular testing services worldwide. Its products include Panorama, a non-invasive prenatal test that screens for chromosomal abnormalities of a fetus, as well as in twin pregnancies; Horizon carrier screening test for individuals and couples determine if they are carriers of genetic variations that cause certain genetic conditions; Vistara single-gene NIPT screens for 25 single-gene disorders that cause severe skeletal, cardiac, and neurological conditions; Spectrum, preimplantation genetic tests for couples undergoing IVF; Anora that analyzes miscarriage tissue from women; Empower, a hereditary cancer screening test; and non-invasive prenatal paternity product, which allows a couple to establish paternity without waiting for the child to be born.