Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) Receives Average Rating of “Buy” from Analysts

Shares of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) have received an average rating of “Buy” from the nine brokerages that are covering the company, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Nine investment analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating. The average 1 year target price among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $45.38.

A number of equities analysts have weighed in on the company. Citigroup decreased their target price on Pliant Therapeutics from $45.00 to $44.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $38.00 target price on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, May 7th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $54.00 to $45.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday, May 7th. Oppenheimer boosted their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research note on Tuesday, May 7th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and set a $36.00 price target on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, June 7th.

Pliant Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of Pliant Therapeutics stock opened at $10.52 on Monday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07, a current ratio of 16.12 and a quick ratio of 16.12. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $12.36 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $14.73. Pliant Therapeutics has a 12 month low of $10.29 and a 12 month high of $20.23.

Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.78) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.76) by ($0.02). On average, research analysts expect that Pliant Therapeutics will post -3.44 earnings per share for the current year.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Quest Partners LLC purchased a new position in Pliant Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth approximately $37,000. SG Americas Securities LLC purchased a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the 1st quarter worth approximately $107,000. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. raised its holdings in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 353.2% during the 4th quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 6,929 shares of the company’s stock worth $125,000 after acquiring an additional 5,400 shares in the last quarter. Profund Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Pliant Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at $215,000. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Pliant Therapeutics by 9.1% during the 1st quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 14,489 shares of the company’s stock valued at $216,000 after buying an additional 1,203 shares during the period. 97.30% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Pliant Therapeutics Company Profile

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis and related diseases in the United States. The company's lead candidate is bexotegrast, an oral, small-molecule, dual selective inhibitor of avß6 and avß1 integrins, which is in phase 2b trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and in phase 2a trial for primary sclerosing cholangitis.