Franklin Resources Inc. Sells 75,024 Shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH)

Franklin Resources Inc. cut its holdings in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH - Free Report) TSE: AUP by 78.7% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 20,253 shares of the biotechnology company's stock after selling 75,024 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.'s holdings in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals were worth $144,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

Other institutional investors and hedge funds have also modified their holdings of the company. Barclays PLC lifted its holdings in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 187.6% during the third quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 219,331 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $1,607,000 after purchasing an additional 143,072 shares in the last quarter. State Street Corp boosted its holdings in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 2.3% in the 3rd quarter. State Street Corp now owns 2,945,060 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $21,587,000 after buying an additional 64,949 shares during the period. PDT Partners LLC increased its stake in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 76.0% in the 3rd quarter. PDT Partners LLC now owns 301,553 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $2,210,000 after buying an additional 130,204 shares in the last quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC raised its stake in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 209.0% during the 3rd quarter. Verition Fund Management LLC now owns 58,518 shares of the biotechnology company's stock valued at $429,000 after purchasing an additional 39,583 shares during the period. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 172.9% in the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 32,078 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $235,000 after purchasing an additional 20,324 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 36.83% of the company's stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Several equities research analysts have recently issued reports on AUPH shares. StockNews.com cut shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals from a "strong-buy" rating to a "buy" rating in a research report on Friday, December 13th. HC Wainwright restated a "buy" rating and set a $13.00 price objective on shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Friday, September 6th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an "overweight" rating and issued a $10.00 target price on shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Monday, September 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have given a buy rating to the company's stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $10.00.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aurinia Pharmaceuticals

In related news, Director Jeffrey Allen Bailey sold 4,557 shares of the company's stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The shares were sold at an average price of $8.43, for a total transaction of $38,415.51. Following the transaction, the director now directly owns 13,356 shares in the company, valued at approximately $112,591.08. This represents a 25.44 % decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Company insiders own 4.30% of the company's stock.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ AUPH traded down $0.23 during mid-day trading on Friday, hitting $8.54. 1,604,865 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 1,565,732. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 5.60 and a quick ratio of 5.11. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a 1 year low of $4.71 and a 1 year high of $10.67. The company's 50-day moving average is $8.65 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.12. The company has a market capitalization of $1.22 billion, a P/E ratio of -56.93 and a beta of 1.41.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Profile

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing therapies to treat various diseases with unmet medical need in the United States. It offers LUPKYNIS for the treatment of adult patients with active lupus nephritis. It has a collaboration and license agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.