Wedbush Predicts Earnings Growth for Viridian Therapeutics

On February 27, 2025, analysts at Wedbush upgraded their earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRDN) for the first quarter of 2025. Analyst L. Chico now forecasts that the biotechnology firm will report an EPS of ($1.01) for Q1 2025, a slight increase from the previous projection of ($1.02).

The consensus estimate for Viridian's total earnings for the current fiscal year is ($4.03) per share. In addition to the Q1 update, Wedbush provided projections for subsequent quarters: Q2 2025 is anticipated to have an EPS of ($1.04), Q3 at ($0.98), and Q4 at ($1.01). For the full fiscal year of 2025, earnings are expected to be ($4.03) per share, with estimates for FY2026 at ($4.43) per share, and a significant recovery forecast for FY2029 with earnings projected at $11.84 per share.

Recently, Viridian Therapeutics released its quarterly earnings data, also on February 27. The report indicated that the company achieved an EPS of ($0.81) for the quarter, surpassing analysts' expectations of ($1.05) by $0.24. However, the company still struggles with a negative net margin of 85,127.16% and a negative return on equity of 70.12%. The revenue for the quarter stood at $0.07 million, outperforming the consensus estimate of $0.05 million.

A number of other equities analysts have shared their insights on Viridian Therapeutics as well. Royal Bank of Canada raised their price target from $44.00 to $47.00, rating the company as “outperform.” Meanwhile, Wells Fargo & Company maintained an “equal weight” rating with a lowered price target of $27.00, down from $37.00. Needham & Company LLC reiterated a “buy” rating and set a price target of $38.00, while HC Wainwright also maintained a “buy” recommendation with a price target of $34.00. Additionally, TD Cowen initiated coverage on Viridian Therapeutics, categorizing it as a “buy.” Overall, there are three hold ratings and nine buy ratings among analysts, leading to a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a price target of approximately $35.70 according to MarketBeat.

Recent Stock Performance

On the trading front, shares of VRDN were down by 7.2% as of Monday morning, opening at $14.41. The company boasts a market capitalization of $1.14 billion and has a negative P/E ratio of -3.34 along with a beta of 1.32. Over the past year, the stock has experienced a low of $11.40 and a high of $27.20. Current ratios indicate a strong liquidity position with a current ratio of 18.55 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.04. The stock's moving averages also suggest recent volatility, with the 50-day simple moving average at $18.10 and the 200-day at $19.70.

Investor Interests

Institutional investors have been actively trading shares of Viridian Therapeutics. Notably, Great Point Partners LLC increased their stake by 50.0% during the third quarter, now holding 750,000 shares valued at approximately $17,062,000. Other significant activities included Lord Abbett & Co. LLC purchasing a new stake worth $8,917,000, and JPMorgan Chase & Co. increasing their holdings by 218.5% during the same period, bringing their total to 400,351 shares valued at $9,108,000. Barclays PLC also boosted their holdings by 113.1%, now owning 125,397 shares after adding 66,550 in the last quarter.

Company Overview

Viridian Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology firm dedicated to discovering and developing innovative treatments for serious and rare diseases. Among its pipeline products are VRDN-001, a monoclonal antibody targeting the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor, currently in a Phase 3 clinical trial aimed at treating thyroid eye disease (TED). The company also works on VRDN-003, an advanced IGF-1R humanized monoclonal antibody intended for TED treatment, designed to provide enhanced longevity in the body.

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