Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) Hits New 52-Week High – What’s Next?

Herbalife Ltd (NYSE:HLF)’s share price hit a new 52-week high on Monday . The stock traded as high as $15.34 and last traded at $15.22, with a volume of 239059 shares traded. The stock had previously closed at $14.98.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several brokerages recently weighed in on HLF. Maxim Group began coverage on shares of Herbalife in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $20.00 target price on the stock. Wall Street Zen raised Herbalife from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, November 28th. Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of Herbalife in a report on Wednesday, October 8th. Mizuho set a $13.00 price objective on shares of Herbalife and gave the company a “neutral” rating in a research note on Thursday. Finally, Citigroup reissued a “buy” rating and set a $17.00 price target (up previously from $11.00) on shares of Herbalife in a research report on Friday, December 12th. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and two have given a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $15.80.

Herbalife Price Performance

The firm has a market cap of $1.58 billion, a PE ratio of 4.89 and a beta of 0.82. The business has a fifty day moving average price of $12.10 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $10.22.

Herbalife (NYSE:HLF) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Wednesday, November 5th. The company reported $0.50 EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $0.46 by $0.04. Herbalife had a net margin of 6.47% and a negative return on equity of 29.84%. The company had revenue of $1.27 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $1.27 billion. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted $0.57 EPS. Herbalife’s quarterly revenue was up 4.8% on a year-over-year basis. As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Herbalife Ltd will post 1.57 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In other news, Director Lynda Cloud purchased 17,000 shares of Herbalife stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, November 18th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $8.97 per share, for a total transaction of $152,490.00. Following the purchase, the director directly owned 38,857 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $348,547.29. This trade represents a 77.78% increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. In the last ninety days, insiders have bought 18,200 shares of company stock worth $167,938. Company insiders own 1.73% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Herbalife

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of HLF. FNY Investment Advisers LLC purchased a new position in shares of Herbalife in the 2nd quarter worth about $29,000. Aster Capital Management DIFC Ltd purchased a new position in Herbalife in the 3rd quarter worth $35,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Herbalife by 115.6% in the third quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 7,024 shares of the company’s stock worth $59,000 after purchasing an additional 3,766 shares during the last quarter. Advisory Services Network LLC purchased a new position in Herbalife during the 3rd quarter valued at about $65,000. Finally, Quarry LP boosted its stake in shares of Herbalife by 49,105.3% during the 3rd quarter. Quarry LP now owns 9,349 shares of the company’s stock valued at $79,000 after purchasing an additional 9,330 shares in the last quarter.

About Herbalife

Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (NYSE: HLF) operates as a global multi-level marketing company specializing in weight-management, nutritional supplement, sports nutrition and personal care products. Its portfolio includes protein shakes, vitamins, energy and fitness supplements, hydration products and skin and hair care items, all formulated to support wellness, performance and healthy living. Products are manufactured in GMP-certified facilities to ensure consistent quality and safety standards.

Founded in 1980 by Mark R.