Geron (NASDAQ:GERN) Shares Down 2% - Should You Sell?

Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) saw its shares decrease by 2% during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching a low of $1.64 and closing at the same price. A total of 2,307,806 shares traded hands, which is an 80% drop from the average volume of 11,339,304 shares. The stock had closed at $1.67 the previous day.

Analyst Recommendations

Several equity analysts have recently provided their insights on GERN shares. On February 27th, B. Riley downgraded Geron from a "buy" rating to "neutral," reducing their price target from $3.50 to $2.00. Stifel Nicolaus also cut their target price from $8.00 to $4.00 while maintaining a "buy" rating. Meanwhile, Barclays kept an "overweight" rating but lowered their price target from $9.00 to $4.00. However, Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating with a $5.00 target. HC Wainwright gave a "neutral" rating. The ratings consensus shows one analyst assigned a sell rating, three gave a hold rating, eight recommended buying, and one issued a strong buy rating. According to MarketBeat, the consensus rating stands at "Moderate Buy" with an average price target of $5.68.

Geron's Financial Overview

Geron has shown mixed financial performance recently. For the last quarter reported on February 26th, the company posted earnings of ($0.04) per share, matching analysts’ expectations. They recorded a revenue of $47.54 million, surpassing the forecast of $45.29 million. However, the company faced a negative net margin of 682.48% and a negative return on equity of 67.53%. Research analysts predict that Geron will post an EPS of -$0.25 for the current year.

Institutional Investment Activity

Institutional investors have been actively trading Geron shares. For instance, Alternative Investment Advisors LLC increased their stake by 13.3% in the third quarter, now owning 22,209 shares valued at $101,000. Rovin Capital UT ADV raised their holdings by 26.9% in the fourth quarter, acquiring 17,270 shares worth $61,000. Additionally, Xponance Inc. grew their position by 12.9%, and US Bancorp DE boosted theirs by 68.4%. Currently, institutional investors own approximately 73.71% of the company's stock.

About Geron Corporation

Geron is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company that focuses on developing and commercializing treatments for myeloid hematologic malignancies. One of its primary products, imetelstat, is a telomerase inhibitor currently in Phase 3 clinical trials. It aims to treat low to intermediate-1 risk myelodysplastic syndromes and intermediate-2 or high-risk myelofibrosis.

Conclusion: To Sell or Not to Sell?

Before deciding whether to sell or hold Geron shares, investors should consider the current market trends and analyst ratings. While the stock is under some pressure, the overall consensus remains positive with a "Moderate Buy" rating. It might be wise to remain vigilant about the financial performance and news coming from the company.

Geron, Stocks, Analysis