Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) Given Average Recommendation of "Hold" by Brokerages

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX - Get Free Report) has earned a consensus rating of "Hold" from the twelve ratings firms that are currently covering the stock, Marketbeat reports. Twelve analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating. The average 12 month price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $13.31.

A number of research analysts have issued reports on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company cut their target price on shares of Pliant Therapeutics from $4.00 to $3.00 and set an "equal weight" rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th. Leerink Partners downgraded shares of Pliant Therapeutics from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating and cut their target price for the company from $33.00 to $2.00 in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. HC Wainwright restated a "neutral" rating on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, March 18th. Canaccord Genuity Group restated a "hold" rating and set a $4.00 target price (down from $43.00) on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, February 10th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC reiterated a "hold" rating and issued a $10.00 price target on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, March 4th.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Pliant Therapeutics

Several hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in PLRX. R Squared Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $33,000. Aquatic Capital Management LLC grew its position in shares of 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 in the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets acquired a new position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $99,000. KLP Kapitalforvaltning AS acquired a new position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $108,000. Finally, Corton Capital Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $138,000. 97.30% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

Pliant Therapeutics Price Performance

Shares of Pliant Therapeutics stock traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $1.47. 472,986 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,064,034. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.09, a current ratio of 10.26 and a quick ratio of 10.26. The firm has a market cap of $90.24 million, a P/E ratio of -0.44 and a beta of 1.46. Pliant Therapeutics has a 52 week low of $1.10 and a 52 week high of $16.52. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $1.70 and a 200-day simple moving average of $8.62.

Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 3rd. The company reported ($0.82) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.99) by $0.17. Research analysts forecast that Pliant Therapeutics will post -3.64 earnings per share for the current 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.