Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) Price Target Raised to $160.00 at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) had its price objective raised by equities research analysts at JPMorgan Chase & Co. from $135.00 to $160.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “overweight” rating on the medical research company’s stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co.‘s price target points to a potential upside of 5.88% from the stock’s current price.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on NTRA. Leerink Partners increased their price target on shares of Natera from $140.00 to $150.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, October 17th. Canaccord Genuity Group boosted their price target on shares of Natera from $150.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Robert W. Baird lifted their target price on Natera from $120.00 to $160.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and issued a $150.00 price target on shares of Natera in a report on Friday, September 13th. Finally, UBS Group cut their price objective on Natera from $160.00 to $145.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a report on Friday, August 9th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating and seventeen have assigned a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $137.65.

Natera Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:NTRA opened at $151.11 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.33, a current ratio of 4.39 and a quick ratio of 4.01. Natera has a 1-year low of $52.01 and a 1-year high of $167.79. The business has a 50-day moving average price of $126.71 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $115.09.

Natera (NASDAQ:NTRA) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, November 12th. The medical research company reported ($0.26) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.57) by $0.31. Natera had a negative net margin of 14.01% and a negative return on equity of 26.23%. The firm had revenue of $439.80 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $361.43 million. During the same period last year, the firm earned ($0.95) earnings per share. The business’s revenue for the quarter was up 63.9% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts expect that Natera will post -1.96 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Michael Burkes Brophy sold 1,866 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, October 31st. The shares were sold at an average price of $126.45, for a total value of $235,955.70. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 68,851 shares in the company, valued at approximately $8,706,208.95. This represents a 2.64 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, CEO Steven Leonard Chapman sold 4,523 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 15th. The shares were sold at an average price of $130.40, for a total value of $589,799.20. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 191,163 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $24,927,655.20. The trade was a 2.31 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last 90 days, insiders sold 29,881 shares of company stock worth $3,733,983. Company insiders own 7.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Natera

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Benjamin Edwards Inc. increased its holdings in Natera by 15,167.3% in the third quarter. Benjamin Edwards Inc. now owns 7,481 shares of the medical research company’s stock worth $950,000 after purchasing an additional 7,432 shares in the last quarter. Paloma Partners Management Co purchased a new stake in Natera in the 3rd quarter valued at about $238,000. True Wealth Design LLC bought a new stake in Natera during the third quarter worth $57,000. Maverick Capital Ltd. grew its position in Natera by 25.2% during the third quarter. Maverick Capital Ltd. now owns 1,340,045 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $170,119,000 after buying an additional 269,706 shares during the period. Finally, Encompass More Asset Management grew its position in shares of Natera by 13.1% during the 3rd quarter. Encompass More Asset Management now owns 2,292 shares of the medical research company’s stock valued at $291,000 after acquiring an additional 265 shares during the period. Institutional investors and hedge funds 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.