Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) Shares Purchased by GW&K Investment Management LLC

GW&K Investment Management LLC raised its position in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) by 2.4% during the 4th quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,273,964 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 30,180 shares during the quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC’s holdings in Vericel were worth $69,953,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

A number of other hedge funds also recently made changes to their positions in VCEL. Proficio Capital Partners LLC bought a new stake in Vericel during the 4th quarter valued at $956,000. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. raised its stake in shares of Vericel by 3.3% during the fourth quarter. Oppenheimer Asset Management Inc. now owns 16,367 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $899,000 after purchasing an additional 517 shares in the last quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp lifted its holdings in Vericel by 1.2% in the fourth quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 309,372 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $16,988,000 after purchasing an additional 3,700 shares during the period. Arcadia Investment Management Corp MI bought a new position in Vericel in the 4th quarter valued at about $48,000. Finally, Handelsbanken Fonder AB increased its stake in Vericel by 6.5% during the 4th quarter. Handelsbanken Fonder AB now owns 16,479 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $905,000 after buying an additional 1,000 shares during the period.

Vericel Price Performance

Shares of VCEL opened at $49.62 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $2.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 827.14 and a beta of 1.72. Vericel Co. has a one year low of $39.12 and a one year high of $63.00. The company has a 50-day moving average of $57.30 and a two-hundred day moving average of $51.75.

Insider Buying and Selling at Vericel

In related news, Director Paul K. Wotton sold 2,600 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, December 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.72, for a total value of $152,672.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 27,402 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,609,045.44. This represents a 8.67 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Also, insider Jonathan Mark Hopper sold 10,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $58.72, for a total value of $587,200.00. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 58,371 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,427,545.12. This trade represents a 14.63 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 20,100 shares of company stock worth $1,206,072. 5.20% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of analysts have recently weighed in on VCEL shares. Canaccord Genuity Group upped their price target on shares of Vericel from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Stephens reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $65.00 price target on shares of Vericel in a research note on Wednesday, January 15th. Truist Financial lifted their price target on Vericel from $61.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 18th. StockNews.com raised Vericel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, December 24th. Finally, BTIG Research boosted their price target 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. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, Vericel has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $63.14.

About Vericel

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.