CRISPR Therapeutics AG

🇺🇸NASDAQ Global Market
Back to all articles
CRISPR Therapeutics AG stock analysis CRSP overview
Somewhat Bullish +45

CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) Raised to "Hold" at Wall Street Zen

📈 Wall Street Zen upgraded CRISPR Therapeutics to a 'Hold' rating, joining recent positive actions from Citigroup and Evercore.

🎯 Analyst consensus maintains a 'Moderate Buy' status with an average price target of $67.78.

💰 Q1 earnings showed a loss of $1.28 per share on revenue of only $1.46 million.

📉 The company reported a negative net margin of -13,856.54% and negative return on equity of -25.66%.

🔮 Analysts forecast an average annual loss of $4.89 per share for the current fiscal year.

🏦 Institutional ownership stands at 69.20%, with significant additions from ARK Investment Management and State Street Corp.

📉 Insider Naimish Patel sold 3,786 shares worth $210,577 to cover tax withholding obligations.

🧬 Lead program CTX001 targets sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia in collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals.

🔬 The company utilizes proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 technology for ex vivo and in vivo gene-editing therapies.

Bullish Signals
  • Wall Street Zen upgraded the stock to a 'Hold' rating, signaling improved sentiment from a previous 'Sell' classification.
  • Citigroup restated its rating to 'market outperform,' indicating confidence in the company's long-term prospects.
  • Sanford C. Bernstein increased its price target to $56.00 and maintained a 'market perform' rating.
  • Evercore issued an 'outperform' rating with a high price objective of $76.00.
  • Major institutional investors including ARK Investment Management, State Street Corp, and GSK plc have increased their holdings in the second or fourth quarter.
  • The stock maintains a consensus 'Moderate Buy' rating from MarketBeat with a target price of $67.78.
Risk Factors
  • The company reported a significant loss of $1.28 per share for the first quarter, indicating ongoing profitability challenges.
  • Revenue was minimal at only $1.46 million for the quarter, suggesting limited commercial scale at this stage.
  • Financial metrics include a negative return on equity of -25.66% and a massive net margin contraction of -13,856.54%.
  • Analysts anticipate continued losses with an average expected EPS of -$4.89 for the current fiscal year.
  • Insider Naimish Patel sold 3,786 shares worth $210,577 to cover tax obligations, representing a 16.36% reduction in his direct ownership.
Full Analysis
CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) saw its analyst rating upgraded to 'Hold' by Wall Street Zen, following a recent wave of mixed-to-positive sentiment from major institutions. Citigroup restated its rating to 'market outperform,' while Sanford C. Bernstein raised its price target to $56.00 and Evercore set an objective at $76.00. Conversely, Morgan Stanley maintained an 'equal weight' rating with a $60.00 target. The consensus average rating remains 'Moderate Buy' with a target price of $67.78, reflecting a generally positive but cautious outlook from the sell-side. The company reported Q1 earnings on March 31st, posting a loss of $1.28 per share against minimal revenue of $1.46 million. Financial metrics showed a negative return on equity of -25.66% and a significant net margin contraction of -13,856.54%. Analysts currently anticipate the company will report an average annual loss of $4.89 per share for the current fiscal year, highlighting its continued pre-revenue or early-stage profitability challenges despite its technological advancements. Institutional ownership remains robust at 69.20%, with notable increases in stakes from GSK plc, Orbis Allan Gray Ltd, State Street Corp, and ARK Investment Management LLC during the second and fourth quarters. However, insider Naimish Patel sold 3,786 shares worth approximately $210,577 to cover tax withholding obligations related to equity vesting, reducing his direct ownership by 16.36%. The company focuses on gene-editing therapies using its CRISPR/Cas9 platform, with lead program CTX001 targeting sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia in collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals.