Wellington Management Group LLP Acquires 701,064 Shares of Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL)

Wellington Management Group LLP increased its holdings in Vericel Co. (NASDAQ:VCEL) by 119.3% in the fourth quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 1,288,921 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 701,064 shares during the period. Wellington Management Group LLP owned approximately 2.61% of Vericel worth $70,775,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other hedge funds have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Vericel by 1.3% during the 3rd quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. now owns 434,206 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $18,345,000 after acquiring an additional 5,504 shares during the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP bought a new stake in Vericel during the third quarter worth approximately $146,000. Stifel Financial Corp grew its holdings in Vericel by 40.0% during the third quarter. Stifel Financial Corp now owns 28,073 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $1,186,000 after purchasing an additional 8,020 shares during the last quarter. MML Investors Services LLC raised its position in shares of Vericel by 26.7% in the third quarter. MML Investors Services LLC now owns 7,125 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $301,000 after purchasing an additional 1,501 shares during the period. Finally, Barclays PLC lifted its stake in shares of Vericel by 145.4% in the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 111,527 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $4,712,000 after buying an additional 66,082 shares during the last quarter.

Vericel Price Performance

Shares of VCEL stock opened at $41.92 on Friday. The stock has a market cap of $2.10 billion, a P/E ratio of 698.78 and a beta of 1.78. The stock has a fifty day moving average price of $51.74 and a 200 day moving average price of $51.64. Vericel Co. has a one year low of $39.12 and a one year high of $63.00.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently commented on VCEL shares. Stephens reiterated an “overweight” rating and issued a $65.00 target price on shares of Vericel in a report on Wednesday, January 15th. StockNews.com upgraded Vericel from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Saturday, March 8th. Canaccord Genuity Group increased their target price on Vericel from $64.00 to $67.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, February 3rd. Truist Financial reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $61.00 price target (down from $67.00) on shares of Vericel in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. Finally, HC Wainwright reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $60.00 price objective on shares of Vericel in a research report on Friday, February 28th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and seven have given a buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Vericel has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $62.29.

Insider Transactions at Vericel

In related news, insider Jonathan Siegal sold 3,908 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction 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. The trade was a 76.42 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Dominick Colangelo sold 26,592 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $45.78, for a total value of $1,217,381.76. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer now owns 259,997 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $11,902,662.66. This represents a 9.28 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last three months, insiders sold 34,092 shares of company stock valued at $1,683,582. Company insiders own 5.20% of the company’s stock.

Vericel Company 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.