Capital International Investors Has $20.52 Million Stock Position in Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX)

Capital International Investors grew its position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) by 50.9% in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 1,377,327 shares of the company’s stock after acquiring an additional 464,860 shares during the quarter. Capital International Investors owned 2.28% of Pliant Therapeutics worth $20,522,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Several other large investors also recently made changes to their positions in the stock. First Light Asset Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 22.4% in the 4th quarter. First Light Asset Management LLC now owns 3,591,776 shares of the company’s stock valued at $65,047,000 after buying an additional 658,516 shares during the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 13.5% in the 1st quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,478,355 shares of the company’s stock valued at $51,827,000 after buying an additional 412,486 shares during the last quarter. Great Point Partners LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 3.9% in the 4th quarter. Great Point Partners LLC now owns 1,823,184 shares of the company’s stock valued at $33,018,000 after buying an additional 68,000 shares during the last quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. lifted its holdings in Pliant Therapeutics by 4.1% during the 4th quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. now owns 1,579,572 shares of the company’s stock valued at $28,606,000 after purchasing an additional 62,173 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Granahan Investment Management LLC lifted its holdings in Pliant Therapeutics by 22.5% during the 4th quarter. Granahan Investment Management LLC now owns 1,150,766 shares of the company’s stock valued at $20,840,000 after purchasing an additional 211,557 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 97.30% of the company’s stock.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have issued reports on PLRX shares. Oppenheimer raised their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $47.00 to $48.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Royal Bank of Canada cut their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $54.00 to $45.00 and set an “outperform” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $38.00 price target on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “buy” rating and set a $36.00 price target on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, July 16th. Finally, Citigroup cut their price target on Pliant Therapeutics from $45.00 to $44.00 and set a “buy” rating for the company in a report on Tuesday, May 7th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $45.38.

Pliant Therapeutics Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ PLRX traded up $0.06 during mid-day trading on Friday, reaching $13.37. The company had a trading volume of 340,736 shares, compared to its average volume of 474,207. The company has a quick ratio of 16.12, a current ratio of 16.12 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.07. Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. has a one year low of $10.29 and a one year high of $20.23. The business’s 50-day simple moving average is $11.98 and its 200 day simple moving average is $14.16.

Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Monday, May 6th. The company reported ($0.78) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.76) by ($0.02). As a group, sell-side analysts forecast that Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. will post -3.44 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling

In related news, CFO Keith Lamont Cummings sold 10,911 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.56, for a total value of $126,131.16. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 282,115 shares in the company, valued at $3,261,249.40. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. In related news, CFO Keith Lamont Cummings sold 10,911 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $11.56, for a total value of $126,131.16. Following the sale, the chief financial officer now directly owns 282,115 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,261,249.40. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, General Counsel Mike Ouimette sold 7,656 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, July 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $11.56, for a total value of $88,503.36. Following the completion of the sale, the general counsel now directly owns 94,044 shares in the company, valued at $1,087,148.64. 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 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.