Analysts Set Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) Price Target at $48.44

Shares of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) have been given an average recommendation of “Buy” by the ten ratings firms that are covering the firm, Marketbeat reports. Ten analysts have rated the stock with a buy recommendation. The average 1 year price objective among analysts that have covered the stock in the last year is $48.44.

Several analysts have recently commented on the stock. Needham & Company LLC reissued a “buy” rating and set a $38.00 price target on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, February 28th. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a report on Friday, December 8th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $41.00 price objective on the stock. Royal Bank of Canada increased their price objective on shares of Pliant Therapeutics from $50.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, March 5th. Finally, HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and issued a $48.00 price objective on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, February 28th.

Pliant Therapeutics Price Performance

PLRX opened at $14.90 on Friday. Pliant Therapeutics has a one year low of $12.60 and a one year high of $30.85. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02, a current ratio of 17.72 and a quick ratio of 17.72. The company’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.12 and its 200-day simple moving average is $15.90. The stock has a market capitalization of $897.58 million, a P/E ratio of -5.34 and a beta of 1.13.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Pliant Therapeutics news, General Counsel Mike Ouimette sold 5,197 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.23, for a total value of $89,544.31. Following the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 55,246 shares in the company, valued at $951,888.58. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. In related news, General Counsel Mike Ouimette sold 5,197 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The shares were sold at an average price of $17.23, for a total transaction of $89,544.31. Following the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 55,246 shares in the company, valued at $951,888.58. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CEO Bernard Coulie sold 25,721 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, January 17th. The stock was sold at an average price of $17.23, for a total transaction of $443,172.83. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now owns 316,382 shares in the company, valued at $5,451,261.86. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 50,485 shares of company stock worth $869,857. Company insiders own 5.60% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 97.3% in the 3rd quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 1,529 shares of the company’s stock valued at $27,000 after acquiring an additional 754 shares during the period. Acadian Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the 1st quarter worth about $27,000. UBS Group AG lifted its stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 18.4% during the 2nd quarter. UBS Group AG now owns 3,537 shares of the company’s stock worth $28,000 after buying an additional 550 shares during the last quarter. Quest Partners LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth about $37,000. Finally, US Bancorp DE lifted its stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 144.3% during the 2nd quarter. US Bancorp DE now owns 2,150 shares of the company’s stock worth $39,000 after buying an additional 1,270 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 97.30% of the company’s stock.

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.