Thrivent Financial for Lutherans Decreases Stake in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL)

Thrivent Financial for Lutherans lessened its stake in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) by 10.9% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The firm owned 367,841 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after selling 45,126 shares during the quarter. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans’ holdings in Vericel were worth $20,198,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the stock. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Vericel by 1.0% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,372,812 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $100,251,000 after buying an additional 22,461 shares during the period. Congress Asset Management Co. raised its position in shares of Vericel by 12.6% during the 4th quarter. Congress Asset Management Co. now owns 1,454,139 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $79,847,000 after acquiring an additional 162,419 shares in the last quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Vericel by 2.4% during the 4th quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC now owns 1,273,964 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $69,953,000 after acquiring an additional 30,180 shares in the last quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC raised its position in shares of Vericel by 66.3% during the 4th quarter. William Blair Investment Management LLC now owns 1,258,416 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $69,100,000 after acquiring an additional 501,736 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Geode Capital Management LLC raised its position in shares of Vericel by 0.8% during the 3rd quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 1,154,053 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $48,768,000 after acquiring an additional 9,613 shares in the last quarter.

Insider Transactions at Vericel

In other news, Director Robert L. Md Zerbe sold 2,500 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $62.50, for a total transaction of $156,250.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 26,595 shares in the company, valued at $1,662,187.50. This represents a 8.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this link. Also, insider Jonathan Siegal sold 3,908 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 28th. The stock was sold at an average price of $61.99, for a total value of $242,256.92. Following the sale, the insider now owns 1,206 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $74,759.94. This trade represents a 76.42 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Insiders sold 34,092 shares of company stock worth $1,683,582 over the last 90 days. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by insiders.

Vericel Stock Down 0.5 %

VCEL opened at $47.18 on Friday. The firm has a market cap of $2.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 786.46 and a beta of 1.78. Vericel Co. has a 52 week low of $39.12 and a 52 week high of $63.00. The business’s 50 day moving average is $54.66 and its two-hundred day moving average is $51.72.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

VCEL has been the topic of several research analyst reports. Truist Financial reissued a “buy” rating and set a $61.00 target price (down previously from $67.00) on shares of Vericel in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and set a $60.00 target price on shares of Vericel in a research report on Friday, February 28th. BTIG Research raised their target price on Vericel from $56.00 to $66.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 26th. StockNews.com raised Vericel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 8th. Finally, Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a research report on Wednesday, January 15th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Vericel has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $62.29.

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.