Shares of Alere Inc (NYSE:ALR) have earned an average rating of “Buy” from the ten brokerages that are presently covering the firm, Analyst Ratings.Net reports. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, two have issued a hold rating, five have issued a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 1-year price target among brokers that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $51.00.

Shares of Alere (NYSE:ALR) opened at 37.20 on Friday. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $38.30 and its 200 day moving average price is $45.73. Alere has a 12-month low of $31.96 and a 12-month high of $55.99. The company has a market cap of $3.21 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.83.

Alere (NYSE:ALR) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, November 4th. The company reported $0.54 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.61 by $0.07. During the same period in the prior year, the company posted $0.48 EPS. The business earned $602 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $646.29 million. The firm’s revenue for the quarter was down 7.3% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts predict that Alere will post $2.22 earnings per share for the current year.

In related news, SVP Robert Bernard Hargadon purchased 1,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Friday, November 13th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $38.99 per share, with a total value of $38,990.00. Following the transaction, the senior vice president now owns 8,843 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $344,788.57. The acquisition was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, CFO James F. Hinrichs purchased 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, November 12th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $39.97 per share, for a total transaction of $399,700.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now directly owns 30,000 shares in the company, valued at approximately $1,199,100. The disclosure for this purchase can be found here.

Other large investors recently made changes to their positions in the company. USS Investment Management increased its stake in shares of Alere by 31.4% in the fourth quarter. USS Investment Management now owns 1,705,953 shares of the company’s stock valued at $66,669,000 after buying an additional 408,094 shares in the last quarter. Fox Run Management bought a new stake in shares of Alere during the fourth quarter valued at $274,000. Quantitative Systematic Strategies bought a new stake in shares of Alere during the fourth quarter valued at $305,000. Manning & Napier Advisors increased its stake in shares of Alere by 178.9% in the fourth quarter. Manning & Napier Advisors now owns 1,481,660 shares of the company’s stock valued at $57,916,000 after buying an additional 950,366 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Janus Capital Management increased its stake in shares of Alere by 1,642.7% in the third quarter. Janus Capital Management now owns 155,100 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,468,000 after buying an additional 146,200 shares in the last quarter.

ALR has been the subject of several analyst reports. BTIG Research reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $65.00 price objective on shares of Alere in a report on Friday, October 23rd. Canaccord Genuity reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $52.00 price objective (down previously from $60.00) on shares of Alere in a report on Monday, November 2nd. Leerink Swann increased their price objective on Alere from $42.00 to $44.00 and gave the company a “market perform” rating in a report on Monday, November 2nd. Raymond James increased their price objective on Alere from $46.00 to $50.00 and gave the company a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, November 2nd. Finally, Wedbush increased their price objective on Alere from $38.00 to $41.00 in a report on Monday, November 2nd.

Alere Inc. is a provider of health information through diagnostic tests. The Company operates through professional diagnostics, patient self-testing, consumer diagnostics and, corporate and other segments. The professional diagnostics segment includes an array of diagnostic test products and other in vitro diagnostic tests marketed to medical professionals and laboratories for detection of diseases and conditions within its areas of focus. The patient-self testing segment provides services designed to provide physicians with actionable data that allow them to make decisions in real time, deliver care, and put the individuals they treat on a pathway to better health. The consumer diagnostics segment consists primarily of manufacturing operations related to its role as the exclusive manufacturer of products for SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics (NYSE:ALR), its 50/50 joint venture with The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G).

12 Month Chart for NYSE:ALR

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