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Sean Flynn, the Chief Legal Officer of Vericel Corp (NASDAQ:VCEL), a $2.6 billion market cap biotechnology company, recently executed a series of stock transactions as reported in a Form 4 filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. According to InvestingPro data, the stock is currently trading near its 52-week high of $63, showing strong momentum despite recent volatility. On February 25, Flynn sold 1,669 shares of Vericel’s common stock at an average price of $52.07 per share, totaling approximately $86,904.
Additionally, on February 24, Flynn acquired 3,000 shares of common stock through the vesting of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) granted previously, though these shares were acquired at no cost. On the same day, 1,331 shares were withheld by the company to cover tax obligations related to the vesting of those RSUs, valued at $52.33 per share, amounting to $69,651. With analysts setting price targets between $60 and $72, and maintaining a strong buy consensus, these insider transactions warrant attention.
These transactions were conducted under a pre-established Rule 10b5-1 trading plan, ensuring compliance with insider trading regulations. Following these activities, Flynn holds 756 shares of Vericel’s common stock directly. For comprehensive insider trading analysis and 12+ additional exclusive insights about VCEL, access the full company report on InvestingPro.
In other recent news, Vericel Corporation announced preliminary fourth-quarter 2024 revenue figures ranging from $75.2 million to $75.7 million, which did not meet analyst expectations of $77.9 million. Despite this, the company’s MACI product reported revenue between $68.2 million and $68.7 million, surpassing some estimates and showing significant growth from both the previous quarter and year. Vericel’s burn franchise, including Epicel and NexoBrid, reported lower-than-expected revenues at $6 million and $1 million, respectively. For 2025, Vericel projects total revenue growth of 20% to 23%, with revenues estimated between $284.4 million and $292.1 million.
Canaccord Genuity raised its price target for Vericel to $67 while maintaining a Buy rating, citing the company’s strong mid-term financial targets. Similarly, Truist Securities increased its price target to $67, also reaffirming a Buy rating based on Vericel’s promising growth trajectory. H.C. Wainwright maintained a Buy rating with a $60 price target, highlighting the company’s MACI Arthro synergies and expansion plans. Analysts anticipate that Vericel’s new manufacturing facility, set to commence production in 2026, will support increasing demand for its products.
Looking ahead, Vericel plans to submit an Investigational New Drug application for MACI Ankle in 2025 and initiate a Phase 3 study later that year. The company also expects to achieve an adjusted EBITDA margin of 25% to 26% and a gross margin of 73% to 74% in the upcoming year. These developments reflect Vericel’s strategic focus on expanding its product pipeline and enhancing its market position.
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