Squarepoint Ops LLC Buys Shares of 80,475 Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX)

Squarepoint Ops LLC bought a new stake in Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX - Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm bought 80,475 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $865,000. Squarepoint Ops LLC owned 0.13% of Pliant Therapeutics as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Several other hedge funds and other institutional investors also recently made changes to their positions in PLRX. ProShare Advisors LLC grew its stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 9.1% during the first quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 14,489 shares of the company's stock worth $216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,203 shares during the period. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 67.1% during the first quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 11,581 shares of the company's stock worth $173,000 after purchasing an additional 4,652 shares during the period. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP grew its stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 1.7% during the second quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP now owns 305,322 shares of the company's stock worth $3,282,000 after purchasing an additional 5,152 shares during the period. Summit Securities Group LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the second quarter worth $59,000. Finally, SG Americas Securities LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the first quarter worth $107,000. 97.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

PLRX has been the subject of a number of analyst reports. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $38.00 price objective on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Oppenheimer reduced their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $48.00 to $45.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Leerink Partners initiated coverage on Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, September 9th. They set an "outperform" rating and a $33.00 price target for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an "overweight" rating on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, August 8th. Finally, HC Wainwright reissued a "buy" rating and set a $38.00 price target on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, September 13th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, Pliant Therapeutics currently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $40.57.

Insider Transactions at Pliant Therapeutics

In other news, CFO Keith Lamont Cummings sold 10,911 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.56, for a total transaction of $126,131.16. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 282,115 shares in the company, valued at approximately $3,261,249.40. This trade represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. In related news, CFO Keith Lamont Cummings sold 10,911 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.56, for a total transaction of $126,131.16. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 282,115 shares of the company's stock, valued at $3,261,249.40. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website. Also, CEO Bernard Coulie sold 38,710 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.56, for a total value of $447,487.60. Following the sale, the chief executive officer now directly owns 482,936 shares in the company, valued at $5,582,740.16. This represents a 0.00 % decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last quarter, insiders have sold 69,596 shares of company stock worth $804,530. Company insiders own 6.40% of the company's stock.

Pliant Therapeutics Stock Performance

NASDAQ:PLRX traded down $0.41 on Monday, hitting $11.12. The company's stock had a trading volume of 229,663 shares, compared to its average volume of 453,222. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08, a current ratio of 14.47 and a quick ratio of 14.47. The stock has a fifty day moving average of $12.56 and a two-hundred day moving average of $12.73. Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. has a one year low of $10.22 and a one year high of $19.62.

Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported ($0.92) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.85) by ($0.07). Research analysts expect that Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. will post -3.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

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.