Analysts Set Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) PT at $13.31

Shares of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) have received an average recommendation of “Hold” from the twelve ratings firms that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold recommendation. The average 12 month price objective among analysts that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $13.31.

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Canaccord Genuity Group reaffirmed a “hold” rating and set a $4.00 price objective (down previously from $43.00) on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, February 10th. Stifel Nicolaus cut shares of Pliant Therapeutics from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Monday, March 3rd. Cantor Fitzgerald restated a “neutral” rating on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. Wells Fargo & Company decreased their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $4.00 to $3.00 and set an “equal weight” rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, March 4th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC restated a “hold” rating and set a $10.00 price objective on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th.

Insider Transactions at Pliant Therapeutics

In other news, insider Hans Hull sold 15,936 shares of Pliant Therapeutics stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.20, for a total transaction of $178,483.20. Following the transaction, the insider now owns 211,558 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,369,449.60. The trade was a 7.01 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, General Counsel Mike Ouimette sold 13,270 shares of the stock in a transaction on Friday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.20, for a total value of $148,624.00. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now owns 80,774 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $904,668.80. The trade was a 14.11 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 91,855 shares of company stock worth $1,026,628. Insiders own 6.40% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Pliant Therapeutics

Institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. R Squared Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth approximately $33,000. Aquatic Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Pliant Therapeutics by 1,299.0% during the 4th quarter. Aquatic Capital Management LLC now owns 5,596 shares of the company’s stock worth $74,000 after purchasing an additional 5,196 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets acquired a new position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth approximately $99,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS bought a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at $108,000. Finally, Corton Capital Inc. acquired a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $138,000. Institutional investors own 97.30% of the company’s stock.

Pliant Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:PLRX opened at $1.23 on Wednesday. The company has a quick ratio of 10.26, a current ratio of 10.26 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09. Pliant Therapeutics has a 12-month low of $1.20 and a 12-month high of $16.52. The company’s 50 day moving average price is $3.27 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $9.66. The firm has a market cap of $75.01 million, a PE ratio of -0.37 and a beta of 1.46.

Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 3rd. The company reported ($0.82) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.99) by $0.17. Equities research analysts predict that Pliant Therapeutics will post -3.64 earnings per share for the current year.

About Pliant Therapeutics

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.