Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ:LQDA) Short Interest Update

Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ:LQDA) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest during the month of December. As of December 31st, there was short interest totaling 10,709,682 shares, a decline of 18.1% from the December 15th total of 13,078,126 shares. Currently, 17.6% of the shares of the company are short sold. Based on an average trading volume of 924,707 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 11.6 days. Based on an average trading volume of 924,707 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 11.6 days. Currently, 17.6% of the shares of the company are short sold.

Liquidia Price Performance

Shares of LQDA traded down $0.86 during trading hours on Monday, hitting $37.93. The stock had a trading volume of 3,325,453 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,732,608. The stock has a market capitalization of $3.30 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -26.34, a P/E/G ratio of 0.64 and a beta of 0.48. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.19, a current ratio of 2.20 and a quick ratio of 1.96. The company’s fifty day moving average is $32.91 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.14. Liquidia has a 52 week low of $11.26 and a 52 week high of $41.57.

Liquidia (NASDAQ:LQDA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, November 3rd. The company reported ($0.04) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.45) by $0.41. Liquidia had a negative net margin of 176.04% and a negative return on equity of 296.78%. The firm had revenue of $54.34 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $18.86 million. The firm’s quarterly revenue was up 1106.7% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, analysts anticipate that Liquidia will post -1.51 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other news, General Counsel Russell Schundler sold 27,289 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.43, for a total value of $1,021,427.27. Following the sale, the general counsel directly owned 579,394 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $21,686,717.42. This trade represents a 4.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Roger Jeffs sold 66,610 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.43, for a total value of $2,493,212.30. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 1,037,528 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $38,834,673.04. The trade was a 6.03% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 323,354 shares of company stock worth $11,046,731. Insiders own 26.50% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Liquidia

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. BayBridge Capital Group LLC acquired a new position in Liquidia during the 4th quarter valued at about $301,000. SG Americas Securities LLC grew its holdings in shares of Liquidia by 46.7% in the 4th quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC now owns 54,696 shares of the company’s stock valued at $1,886,000 after buying an additional 17,407 shares during the period. Insight Wealth Strategies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Liquidia in the 4th quarter valued at $4,891,000. Tudor Investment Corp ET AL bought a new stake in shares of Liquidia in the 3rd quarter valued at $1,536,000. Finally, FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new stake in Liquidia during the 3rd quarter worth $34,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 64.54% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have weighed in on the stock. Wells Fargo & Company assumed coverage on shares of Liquidia in a research note on Monday, October 20th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock. Zacks Research raised shares of Liquidia from a “hold” rating to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 13th. Needham & Company LLC upped their target price on shares of Liquidia from $36.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 4th. BTIG Research reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $49.00 price target on shares of Liquidia in a research report on Friday, January 9th. Finally, Raymond James Financial restated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $47.00 price target on shares of Liquidia in a research note on Tuesday, November 4th. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Liquidia currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $39.67.

About Liquidia

Liquidia Technologies, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The company leverages its proprietary PRINT® (Particle Replication In Non-wetting Templates) platform to engineer precisely shaped and sized drug particles, with the goal of improving delivery, efficacy and safety profiles. By controlling particle characteristics at the nanoscale, Liquidia seeks to enhance respiratory and other therapies that depend on targeted delivery.

The company’s lead product candidate, LIQ861, is a dry powder formulation of treprostinil designed for inhalation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).