Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. Increases Stock Position in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL)

Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. raised its position in shares of Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) by 3.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 16,367 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after buying an additional 517 shares during the period. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc.’s holdings in Vericel were worth $899,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in the company. International Assets Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Vericel by 4,126.7% in the 3rd quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC now owns 634 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $27,000 after purchasing an additional 619 shares during the period. Arcadia Investment Management Corp MI purchased a new stake in shares of Vericel in the 4th quarter worth about $48,000. Farther Finance Advisors LLC lifted its position in shares of Vericel by 48.1% in the 3rd quarter. Farther Finance Advisors LLC now owns 1,247 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $53,000 after purchasing an additional 405 shares during the period. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. lifted its position in shares of Vericel by 22.2% in the 3rd quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 1,773 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $77,000 after purchasing an additional 322 shares during the period. Finally, Meeder Asset Management Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Vericel in the 3rd quarter worth about $92,000.

Vericel Stock Performance

NASDAQ:VCEL opened at $51.14 on Wednesday. The firm has a market cap of $2.52 billion, a P/E ratio of 852.48 and a beta of 1.72. Vericel Co. has a fifty-two week low of $39.12 and a fifty-two week high of $63.00. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $56.93 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $51.93.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently commented on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group raised their target price on shares of Vericel from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, February 3rd. BTIG Research raised their target price on shares of Vericel from $56.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $60.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a research note on Friday, February 28th. Truist Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $61.00 price target (down from $67.00) on shares of Vericel in a research note on Monday. Finally, Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $65.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vericel presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $62.29.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vericel

In other Vericel news, insider Jonathan Siegal sold 3,908 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 28th. The shares were sold at an average price of $61.99, for a total transaction of $242,256.92. Following the completion of the sale, the insider now directly owns 1,206 shares in the company, valued at approximately $74,759.94. This trade represents a 76.42 % decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, Director Robert L. Md Zerbe sold 2,500 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 5th. The shares were sold at an average price of $62.50, for a total transaction of $156,250.00. Following the sale, the director now owns 26,595 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,662,187.50. This represents a 8.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 7,500 shares of company stock worth $466,200. 5.20% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Vericel Profile

Vericel Corporation, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and distribution of cellular therapies for sports medicine and severe burn care markets in North America. The company markets autologous cell therapy products comprising MACI, an autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane for the repair of symptomatic, and single or multiple full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee; Epicel, a permanent skin replacement humanitarian use device for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients with deep-dermal or full-thickness burns; and NexoBrid, a biological orphan product for eschar removal in adults with deep partial-thickness and/or full-thickness thermal burns.