Citizens Jmp Has Lowered Expectations for Hercules Capital (NYSE:HTGC) Stock Price

Hercules Capital (NYSE:HTGC) had its target price dropped by analysts at Citizens Jmp from $24.00 to $22.00 in a report issued on Wednesday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has a “market outperform” rating on the financial services provider’s stock. Citizens Jmp’s target price indicates a potential upside of 43.24% from the company’s previous close.

A number of other research analysts have also weighed in on HTGC. UBS Group cut their target price on shares of Hercules Capital from $19.50 to $15.00 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Friday, March 13th. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Hercules Capital from $18.00 to $17.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a report on Friday, February 13th. Keefe, Bruyette & Woods cut their target price on shares of Hercules Capital from $19.00 to $18.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Thursday, April 16th. Weiss Ratings lowered shares of Hercules Capital from a “buy (b-)” rating to a “hold (c+)” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 24th. Finally, Piper Sandler cut their target price on shares of Hercules Capital from $17.50 to $16.50 and set a “neutral” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, four have assigned a Buy rating and three have given a Hold rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $18.04.

Hercules Capital Trading Down 2.9%

Shares of HTGC opened at $15.36 on Wednesday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.03, a current ratio of 1.48 and a quick ratio of 1.48. Hercules Capital has a 1 year low of $13.70 and a 1 year high of $19.67. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $14.92 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.98. The firm has a market cap of $2.82 billion, a P/E ratio of 8.39 and a beta of 0.83.

Hercules Capital (NYSE:HTGC) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 12th. The financial services provider reported $0.48 earnings per share for the quarter, meeting analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.48. Hercules Capital had a net margin of 63.80% and a return on equity of 15.97%. The firm had revenue of $133.25 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $141.57 million. During the same period last year, the firm posted $0.49 earnings per share. On average, equities analysts expect that Hercules Capital will post 1.95 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Hercules Capital

In other Hercules Capital news, Director Thomas J. Fallon bought 20,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $14.20 per share, for a total transaction of $284,000.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 150,369 shares in the company, valued at $2,135,239.80. This trade represents a 15.34% increase in their ownership of the stock. The acquisition was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. Also, Director Robert P. Badavas bought 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, February 27th. The shares were acquired at an average price of $14.27 per share, with a total value of $71,350.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 122,073 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,741,981.71. The trade was a 4.27% increase in their position. The disclosure for this purchase is available in the SEC filing. In the last 90 days, insiders purchased 117,015 shares of company stock valued at $1,749,620. 1.80% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Trading of Hercules Capital

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the business. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC bought a new stake in shares of Hercules Capital during the fourth quarter worth $27,000. Caitlin John LLC bought a new stake in shares of Hercules Capital during the third quarter worth $29,000. Cornerstone Planning Group LLC bought a new stake in shares of Hercules Capital during the fourth quarter worth $29,000. Financial Consulate Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Hercules Capital during the third quarter worth $35,000. Finally, Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. raised its holdings in shares of Hercules Capital by 113.1% in the fourth quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. now owns 1,884 shares of the financial services provider’s stock valued at $35,000 after acquiring an additional 1,000 shares in the last quarter. 19.69% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

More Hercules Capital News

Here are the key news stories impacting Hercules Capital this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Significant insider buying highlighted in a filing summary — multiple executives and directors made recent purchases, which can signal management confidence in the company. Quiver Quantitative CEO Pay & Insider Activity
• Positive Sentiment: At least one sell‑side firm (Citizens/JMP) keeps a market‑outperform stance with a $22 target (lowered from $24), suggesting some analysts still see upside vs. current levels. Benzinga: Price Target Update
• Neutral Sentiment: Research pieces assess valuation and sector positioning — some view HTGC as attractive after recent pullback but note medium‑term risks; these analyses provide context but no new catalysts. Yahoo Finance: Valuation/Attractiveness
• Neutral Sentiment: Sector summaries and Q4 writeups highlight strong recent origination activity and NAV drivers, but also note sensitivity to interest‑rate moves and portfolio concentration in software. Yahoo: Specialty Finance Q4 Highlights
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms and plaintiffs’ counsel have filed or are soliciting lead‑plaintiff roles in securities class actions tied to a critical Hunterbrook Media report; notices cite an alleged Class Period (May 1, 2025–Feb 27, 2026) and a May 19, 2026 lead‑plaintiff deadline — litigation risk is the main near‑term drag. Hagens Berman: Lawsuit Summary
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple plaintiff firms (Rosen, Faruqi & Faruqi, Levi & Korsinsky, Hagens Berman, Hagens Berman/PR notices) are publicly soliciting clients and emphasizing alleged deficiencies in deal sourcing, portfolio marks and PIK loan disclosures — increased media/legal attention tends to widen bid/ask spreads and adds uncertainty. Rosen Law Firm: Lead Plaintiff Notice
• Negative Sentiment: Third‑party investigative report (Hunterbrook Media) alleged that Hercules’ deal sourcing and certain valuations were improperly represented; these substantive allegations — if substantiated — could pressure NAV, regulatory scrutiny and investor confidence. AP/Bakersfield: Coverage of Allegations

Hercules Capital Company Profile

Hercules Capital, Inc is a specialty finance company organized as a business development company (BDC) that provides tailored debt financing solutions to high‐growth companies. Through its external management structure, Hercules Capital extends senior secured loans, subordinated debt and growth capital designed to support research and development, expansion initiatives and working capital needs. The firm primarily partners with venture capital and private equity sponsors to finance innovative enterprises across various developmental stages.

The company’s investment portfolio is concentrated in technology, life sciences and sustainable and renewable technology sectors, reflecting its focus on industries with strong growth prospects and recurring capital requirements.