Maxim Group Downgrades Capricor Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CAPR) to Hold

Capricor Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CAPR) was downgraded by stock analysts at Maxim Group from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report issued on Thursday.

A number of other research firms also recently commented on CAPR. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating on shares of Capricor Therapeutics in a research note on Monday. HC Wainwright restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Capricor Therapeutics in a report on Monday. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH lowered shares of Capricor Therapeutics from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating in a research report on Thursday. Roth Capital downgraded shares of Capricor Therapeutics from a “buy” rating to a “neutral” rating and set a $7.00 price target on the stock. in a research note on Monday. Finally, Piper Sandler lowered shares of Capricor Therapeutics from an “overweight” rating to a “neutral” rating in a report on Thursday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, eight have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Capricor Therapeutics presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $34.75.

Capricor Therapeutics Stock Up 1.5%

CAPR stock opened at $6.67 on Thursday. The stock has a market capitalization of $386.27 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.88 and a beta of 0.42. Capricor Therapeutics has a 52-week low of $4.30 and a 52-week high of $40.37. The stock’s fifty day simple moving average is $24.01 and its 200-day simple moving average is $27.07.

Capricor Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CAPR) last released its earnings results on Tuesday, May 12th. The biotechnology company reported ($0.59) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.55) by ($0.04). As a group, analysts anticipate that Capricor Therapeutics will post -0.49 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Capricor Therapeutics

In other news, CFO Anthony Bergmann sold 25,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, May 1st. The stock was sold at an average price of $31.70, for a total transaction of $792,500.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer owned 8,223 shares in the company, valued at approximately $260,669.10. The trade was a 75.25% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last quarter, insiders sold 50,000 shares of company stock valued at $1,551,658. Insiders own 9.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Capricor Therapeutics

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of CAPR. Suvretta Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Capricor Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth $51,533,000. Tang Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Capricor Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at $49,062,000. RA Capital Management L.P. purchased a new position in Capricor Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at about $43,516,000. Darwin Global Management Ltd. purchased a new stake in shares of Capricor Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at about $23,168,000. Finally, SB Capital Management Inc purchased a new stake in shares of Capricor Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at about $11,544,000. 21.68% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Capricor Therapeutics News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting Capricor Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Peer-reviewed data support deramiocel: The Lancet published HOPE-3 Phase 3 results showing that deramiocel slowed upper-limb function decline by 54% versus placebo and produced reported cardiac benefits. Capricor said the publication independently validated the trial’s design, methodology and findings. The Lancet Publishes HOPE-3 Data for Capricor Therapeutics’ Deramiocel in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy
• Neutral Sentiment: FDA panel vote is not the final agency decision: Independent advisers recommended against approval of deramiocel for the Duchenne heart-disease indication. The FDA is not required to follow the panel, but the vote is a significant regulatory obstacle. FDA panel votes against Capricor’s Duchenne heart disease therapy
• Negative Sentiment: FDA briefing documents challenged the company’s evidence: Regulators concluded that deramiocel did not demonstrate statistically significant benefits on its prespecified cardiac endpoint, undermining investor confidence despite Capricor’s positive interpretation of the HOPE-3 data.
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts turned more cautious: B. Riley and Roth Capital downgraded the stock, followed by Alliance Global Partners’ move from Buy to Neutral with a $7 price target. The downgrades reflect increased uncertainty around approval and commercial prospects.
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple securities-law investigations were announced: Rosen Law Firm, Hagens Berman, Glancy Prongay Wolff, Levi & Korsinsky, Bragar Eagel & Squire, Block & Leviton and Kirby McInerney are soliciting investors or investigating whether Capricor made misleading statements about deramiocel’s efficacy and trial results. These announcements add reputational and potential litigation risk, although no wrongdoing has been established.

About Capricor Therapeutics

Capricor Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of cell and exosome-based therapeutics for cardiovascular and rare diseases. Headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, the company leverages proprietary cardiosphere-derived cell (CDC) technology to address conditions characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, and tissue degeneration. Since its founding, Capricor has advanced its lead candidate through multiple clinical trials and has built a pipeline that spans both cell therapy and extracellular vesicle (exosome) platforms.

The company’s leading product candidate, CAP-1002, comprises allogeneic CDCs and is being evaluated in indications such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and COVID-19-related heart injury.