TriSalus Life Sciences Inc. received a consensus “Hold” rating from analysts after a sharp earnings miss, mixed brokerage actions, and modest institutional buying kept investor sentiment cautious.
TriSalus Life Sciences Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on oncology therapies, is drawing a divided response from Wall Street as analysts weigh its long-term potential against near-term financial setbacks.
Five research firms currently cover the stock, with one issuing a sell rating, one a hold, and three recommending a buy. The average twelve-month price target stands at $11.00, nearly double the company’s recent trading price.
Analysts Split After Earnings Disappoint
The mixed outlook stems from TriSalus Life Sciences’ latest quarterly results, which revealed a significant earnings miss. The company reported a loss of $0.96 per share for the quarter ended Nov. 13, far wider than the $0.17 loss analysts had anticipated.
Revenue totaled $11.57 million, slightly below the $11.76 million consensus estimate. Analysts now expect the company to post a loss of $1.55 per share for the full year.
“Investors are clearly focused on execution risk,” said one biotech analyst who follows small-cap oncology firms. “The science is promising, but the financial results highlight how early-stage this company still is.”
Brokerage firms have adjusted their views in recent weeks. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a “sell (e+)” rating in late December, citing financial pressure. Wall Street Zen cut the stock to sell in mid-January. In contrast, Canaccord Genuity Group raised its price target to $12.00 and reiterated a buy rating, pointing to potential upside if clinical programs advance. Zacks Research upgraded the stock from a strong sell to hold.
Shares of TriSalus traded around $5.49 on Friday, within a one-year range of $3.42 to $7.95.
Funds Add Selectively Despite Low Ownership
Institutional ownership remains limited, with hedge funds and other large investors holding about 2.6% of outstanding shares. Still, several firms have recently increased or initiated positions, suggesting selective confidence in the company’s strategy.
Geode Capital Management more than doubled its stake during the second quarter, increasing its holdings by 107.4% to more than 455,000 shares valued at about $2.48 million. Goldman Sachs Group initiated a new position worth roughly $187,000 during the first quarter.
Other investors, including the Police and Firemen’s Retirement System of New Jersey and JPMorgan Chase, also reported new or expanded positions, though at comparatively small dollar amounts.
“These are not aggressive bets, but they signal that some institutions want exposure at current levels,” said a portfolio manager familiar with biotech investing. “The low ownership also means volatility can be high.”
TriSalus Life Sciences has a market capitalization of about $274 million and a beta of 0.43, reflecting lower volatility compared to the broader market. The company’s fifty-day moving average price stands at $6.32, which is above its current trading levels.
Company Bets on Oncology Platforms
TriSalus Life Sciences, a clinical-stage biotechnology firm, is developing noninvasive drug-device combination therapies aimed at improving cancer treatment. Its platforms leverage electroporation and ultrasound to enhance localized delivery of chemotherapy while reducing systemic side effects.
The company’s lead programs focus on hard-to-treat head and neck cancers, areas where existing treatments often fall short. Its pipeline includes early- and mid-stage clinical trials that combine electrochemotherapy with radiation therapy and immuno-oncology agents.
Despite its scientific ambitions, TriSalus was not included in the recent list of five stocks analysts favor for near-term gains, underscoring continued caution.
For now, analysts appear content to wait. As one research note summarized, progress in clinical trials could shift sentiment, but until then, the stock remains a hold for most observers.
