OraSure Technologies Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:OSUR)

OraSure Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:OSUR) was the recipient of unusually large options trading on Monday. Traders bought 7,008 call options on the company. This represents an increase of approximately 2,394% compared to the typical daily volume of 281 call options.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other OraSure Technologies news, CEO Manner Carrie Eglinton bought 32,300 shares of OraSure Technologies stock in a transaction on Friday, March 20th. The shares were purchased at an average price of $2.93 per share, with a total value of $94,639.00. Following the acquisition, the chief executive officer owned 2,190,874 shares in the company, valued at $6,419,260.82. This trade represents a 1.50% increase in their position. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CFO Kenneth J. Mcgrath purchased 32,300 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, March 20th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $2.93 per share, for a total transaction of $94,639.00. Following the purchase, the chief financial officer owned 589,562 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,727,416.66. The trade was a 5.80% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders have acquired 108,643 shares of company stock worth $321,407. Corporate insiders own 3.90% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of OSUR. Quadrature Capital Ltd acquired a new position in OraSure Technologies during the 4th quarter worth about $28,000. Prudential Financial Inc. acquired a new position in OraSure Technologies during the 2nd quarter worth about $31,000. Amundi acquired a new position in OraSure Technologies during the 1st quarter worth about $47,000. SG Americas Securities LLC lifted its holdings in OraSure Technologies by 77.7% during the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 19,748 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $48,000 after buying an additional 8,632 shares during the period. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in OraSure Technologies by 102.2% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 15,275 shares of the medical instruments supplier’s stock worth $49,000 after buying an additional 7,720 shares during the period. 93.50% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Separately, Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d)” rating on shares of OraSure Technologies in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, OraSure Technologies currently has an average rating of “Reduce” and a consensus price target of $3.00.

OraSure Technologies Stock Up 4.1%

NASDAQ OSUR opened at $3.08 on Tuesday. OraSure Technologies has a twelve month low of $2.08 and a twelve month high of $3.82. The company has a market cap of $212.92 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.31 and a beta of 0.85. The business’s fifty day moving average is $2.96 and its 200 day moving average is $2.76.

OraSure Technologies (NASDAQ:OSUR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 25th. The medical instruments supplier reported ($0.19) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.17) by ($0.02). OraSure Technologies had a negative net margin of 59.76% and a negative return on equity of 16.45%. The firm had revenue of $26.76 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $26.44 million. On average, research analysts anticipate that OraSure Technologies will post -0.08 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

About OraSure Technologies

OraSure Technologies, Inc is a Bethlehem, Pennsylvania–based diagnostic and medical device company specializing in the development, manufacture and commercialization of point-of-care and self-testing products. Founded in 1988, OraSure has built a portfolio of oral fluid and other non-invasive specimen collection technologies that support the detection of infectious diseases, drugs of abuse, and health and wellness biomarkers.

The company’s flagship product, the OraQuick® rapid HIV test, was the first Food and Drug Administration–approved over-the-counter oral fluid test for the detection of HIV-1/2 antibodies.