Afya Limited (NASDAQ:AFYA) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest

Afya Limited (NASDAQ:AFYA - Get Free Report) was the recipient of a large increase in short interest during the month of November. As of November 30th, there was short interest totalling 1,070,000 shares, an increase of 8.5% from the November 15th total of 986,000 shares. Currently, 7.5% of the company's stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 128,600 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 8.3 days.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Afya

A number of large investors have recently bought and sold shares of AFYA. Renaissance Technologies LLC increased its holdings in Afya by 19.7% in the 2nd quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 266,500 shares of the company's stock worth $4,704,000 after acquiring an additional 43,800 shares in the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP grew its position in shares of Afya by 41.8% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 336,985 shares of the company's stock valued at $5,948,000 after purchasing an additional 99,416 shares during the period. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC grew its position in shares of Afya by 136.9% in the second quarter. Cubist Systematic Strategies LLC now owns 35,254 shares of the company's stock valued at $622,000 after purchasing an additional 20,370 shares during the period. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Afya by 45.0% during the second quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 291,164 shares of the company's stock worth $5,139,000 after purchasing an additional 90,383 shares in the last quarter. Finally, DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale acquired a new position in shares of Afya during the 3rd quarter worth about $417,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.02% of the company's stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of research firms recently commented on AFYA. The Goldman Sachs Group began coverage on shares of Afya in a research note on Tuesday, December 3rd. They issued a "sell" rating and a $16.00 target price for the company. UBS Group initiated coverage on shares of Afya in a research note on Friday, August 30th. They set a "neutral" rating and a $19.50 price objective for the company.

Afya Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ AFYA traded down $0.03 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $15.64. 129,259 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 131,528. The company has a quick ratio of 1.60, a current ratio of 1.60 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.51. The firm has a market cap of $1.47 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 12.61, a PEG ratio of 0.33 and a beta of 0.89. The firm has a 50-day simple moving average of $16.65 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $16.97. Afya has a twelve month low of $15.28 and a twelve month high of $22.48.

Afya Company Profile

Afya Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a medical education group in Brazil. The company operates through three segments: Undergrad, Continuing Education, and Digital Services. It offers educational products and services, including medical schools, medical residency preparatory courses, graduate courses, and other programs to lifelong medical learners enrolled across its distribution network, as well as to third-party medical schools.