Autolus Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:AUTL) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Autolus Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:AUTL) saw a significant growth in short interest in December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totalling 8,630,000 shares, a growth of 12.4% from the December 15th total of 7,680,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 1,830,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 4.7 days.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several research firms have recently issued reports on AUTL. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $10.00 target price on shares of Autolus Therapeutics in a report on Monday, January 13th. The Goldman Sachs Group upgraded shares of Autolus Therapeutics from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and increased their price objective for the stock from $7.00 to $7.60 in a research note on Monday, November 18th. Finally, Redburn Atlantic upgraded shares of Autolus Therapeutics from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $13.00 target price for the company in a research report on Friday, November 15th. Five analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $10.40.

Autolus Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:AUTL remained flat at $2.22 during mid-day trading on Friday. 805,688 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,476,105. Autolus Therapeutics has a 52 week low of $2.07 and a 52 week high of $7.37. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $2.70 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $3.56.

Autolus Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AUTL) last announced its earnings results on Tuesday, November 12th. The company reported ($0.31) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.21) by ($0.10). During the same quarter last year, the company posted ($0.26) earnings per share. Sell-side analysts forecast that Autolus Therapeutics will post -0.94 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Autolus Therapeutics

A number of hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. ProShare Advisors LLC bought a new stake in Autolus Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter valued at about $43,000. Capstone Investment Advisors LLC bought a new stake in shares of Autolus Therapeutics during the third quarter valued at approximately $51,000. Arkadios Wealth Advisors acquired a new position in shares of Autolus Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $47,000. Herbst Group LLC acquired a new position in shares of Autolus Therapeutics during the third quarter worth approximately $91,000. Finally, Avanza Fonder AB bought a new position in shares of Autolus Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth $75,000. 72.83% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

About Autolus Therapeutics

Autolus Therapeutics plc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops T cell therapies for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. The company's clinical-stage programs include obecabtagene autoleucel (AUTO1), a CD19-targeting programmed T cell investigational therapy that is in Phase 1b/2 clinical trial for the treatment of adult ALL; AUTO1/22, which is in a Phase 1 clinical trial in pediatric patients with relapsed or refractory ALL; AUTO4, a programmed T cell investigational therapy for the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma targeting TRBC1 and TRBC2; AUTO6NG, a programmed T cell investigational therapy targeting GD2 in development for the treatment of neuroblastoma; and AUTO8, a product candidate to treat multiple myeloma.