Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AARD) Receives Average Recommendation of "Hold" from Analysts

Key Points

• Aardvark Therapeutics has a consensus analyst rating of "Hold" from 13 analysts, with the average 12-month price target at $19.70.
• Recent analyst actions were mixed: B. Riley cut its target to $7 but kept a buy rating, while Morgan Stanley maintained an underweight view and lowered its target to $3.
• The stock was down 5.3% and opened at $5.00, far below its 52-week high of $17.94; the company also reported a quarterly EPS of -$0.99 and is expected to post -$3.46 EPS for the year.

Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AARD - Get Free Report) has been given a consensus rating of "Hold" by the thirteen analysts that are presently covering the stock, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating, six have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating on the company. The average 12-month price target among analysts that have updated their coverage on the stock in the last year is $19.70.

AARD has been the subject of a number of research analyst reports. B. Riley Financial dropped their price target on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics from $8.00 to $7.00 and set a "buy" rating for the company in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Morgan Stanley reiterated an "underweight" rating and set a $3.00 price objective (down from $7.00) on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Weiss Ratings raised shares of Aardvark Therapeutics from a "sell (e+)" rating to a "sell (d-)" rating in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. Finally, BTIG Research lowered shares of Aardvark Therapeutics from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, May 15th.

Aardvark Therapeutics Stock Down 5.3%

Shares of NASDAQ AARD opened at $5.00 on Friday. Aardvark Therapeutics has a fifty-two week low of $3.35 and a fifty-two week high of $17.94. The business has a 50 day moving average price of $4.71 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $7.85. The firm has a market cap of $109.40 million, a PE ratio of -1.56 and a beta of 3.93.

Aardvark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AARD - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported ($0.99) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. On average, analysts anticipate that Aardvark Therapeutics will post -3.46 earnings per share for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Aardvark Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of AARD. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new stake in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $56,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN lifted its stake in Aardvark Therapeutics by 259.5% during the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 14,080 shares of the company's stock worth $185,000 after purchasing an additional 10,163 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in Aardvark Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth $102,000. Bank of America Corp DE boosted its holdings in Aardvark Therapeutics by 72.9% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,989 shares of the company's stock worth $108,000 after purchasing an additional 3,369 shares during the period. Finally, MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. bought a new stake in Aardvark Therapeutics during the second quarter valued at $42,000.

Aardvark Therapeutics Company Profile

Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in the discovery and development of small-molecule modulators of the retinoic acid receptor–related orphan receptor gamma (RORγ). RORγ plays a central role in T-helper 17 (Th17) cell differentiation and inflammatory processes. By targeting this transcription factor, Aardvark aims to address a range of autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases.

The company's lead programs consist of selective RORγ inverse agonists designed to suppress pathogenic Th17-driven responses in conditions such as psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic inflammatory disorders.

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