Qiagen Experiences Significant Rise in Short Interest

Qiagen (NYSE:QGEN - Get Free Report) has recently experienced a substantial increase in short interest during February. As of February 15th, the short interest stood at 3,160,000 shares, which is a notable 23.9% rise from the previous month's figure of 2,550,000 shares on January 31st. Currently, about 1.5% of the company's stock is sold short. With an average daily trading volume of 1,060,000 shares, the short-interest ratio is now at 3.0 days, indicating the potential for increased volatility in the near term.

Analyst Ratings and Opinions

A few analysts have recently updated their perspectives on Qiagen. On February 19th, Robert W. Baird downgraded the company from an "outperform" rating to "neutral," and adjusted their price target from $52.00 to $42.00. In contrast, Morgan Stanley maintained an "equal weight" rating and reduced its target price for Qiagen from $48.61 to $46.67 in a report on January 6th. Similarly, UBS Group lowered its price target for Qiagen from $50.00 to $48.00 while also assigning a "neutral" rating on February 7th. Additionally, Baird R W shifted its recommendation from a "strong buy" to a "hold" on February 19th. Jefferies Financial Group, however, reaffirmed a "buy" rating with an increased price target of $52.50, up from $40.83, in a research note from December 10th. Overall, seven analysts have rated the stock as a hold, while three have given it a buy rating. According to MarketBeat, the consensus rating for Qiagen is currently a "Hold," with an average price target of $47.71.

Current Stock Performance

On Wednesday, Qiagen's stock rose by 2.0%, gaining $0.75 to reach $38.57 during mid-day trading. The trading volume for the day was recorded at 951,376 shares, which is lower than the average volume of 1,234,215 shares. The company boasts a quick ratio of 3.09, a current ratio of 3.61, and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.38. Over the past year, the stock's lowest point was $37.63, while the highest was $49.30. Qiagen has a fifty-day moving average of $42.39 and a 200-day moving average of $42.75. The current market capitalization for the company stands at $8.56 billion, and it has a price-to-earnings ratio of 107.40, along with a PEG ratio of 2.39 and a beta of 0.44.

Institutional Investments

Several hedge funds have recently adjusted their positions in Qiagen. Private Advisor Group LLC increased its stake by 8.0% during the third quarter, now owning 6,251 shares valued at $285,000 after adding 461 shares. US Bancorp DE raised its holdings by 0.8%, resulting in a total of 69,122 shares worth $3,150,000 after acquiring an additional 580 shares. Atria Investments Inc also grew its stake by 6.0%, totaling 7,632 shares valued at $348,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. saw the most significant change, raising its holdings by 62.6% to now own 2,574,705 shares worth $117,329,000 after acquiring an additional 991,325 shares. In total, approximately 70.00% of Qiagen's stock is held by institutional investors.

Company Overview

QIAGEN NV is a holding company specializing in providing Sample to Insight solutions. These solutions empower customers to derive crucial molecular insights from samples containing vital biological materials like DNA, RNA, and proteins sourced from blood, tissues, and various other materials.

Further Reading

• Five stocks we favor over Qiagen
• Dividend Aristocrats: A Wealth-Building Index
• Business Trips vs. Social Outings: Corporate Life
• The Pitfalls of Bond Investments
• CrowdStrike: A Strong Growth Play—Consider Buying
• U.K. Market Holidays: Investment Tips
• Is AMD's Stock Drop Over?

Qiagen, Stock, Investment