Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AARD) Short Interest Update

Key Points

• Short interest in Aardvark Therapeutics fell sharply in June, dropping 42.1% to 528,265 shares as of June 30 from 911,832 shares on June 15. That leaves about 2.4% of shares sold short, with a short-interest ratio of 1.7 days.
• The stock opened at $6.67, below its 200-day moving average of $7.63 but above its 50-day moving average of $4.80. Aardvark has a market cap of about $146 million and a high beta of 3.93, indicating elevated volatility.
• Analyst sentiment is mixed, with the consensus rating at Hold and an average price target of $19.70. Recent moves included price target cuts and downgrades from firms such as B. Riley, BTIG, and Morgan Stanley.

Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AARD - Get Free Report) saw a large drop in short interest during the month of June. As of June 30th, there was short interest totaling 528,265 shares, a drop of 42.1% from the June 15th total of 911,832 shares. Currently, 2.4% of the shares of the company are sold short. Based on an average trading volume of 312,175 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 1.7 days.

Aardvark Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of AARD opened at $6.67 on Thursday. The business's 50-day moving average is $4.80 and its two-hundred day moving average is $7.63. The company has a market capitalization of $145.97 million, a P/E ratio of -2.08 and a beta of 3.93. Aardvark Therapeutics has a fifty-two week low of $3.35 and a fifty-two week high of $17.94.

Aardvark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AARD - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, May 7th. The company reported ($0.99) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter. Analysts forecast that Aardvark Therapeutics will post -3.46 EPS for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

AARD has been the topic of several research analyst reports. B. Riley Financial dropped their price target on Aardvark Therapeutics from $8.00 to $7.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Weiss Ratings raised Aardvark Therapeutics from a "sell (e+)" rating to a "sell (d-)" rating in a report on Thursday, July 2nd. BTIG Research lowered Aardvark Therapeutics from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research report on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an "underweight" rating and issued a $3.00 price target (down from $7.00) on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a report on Friday, May 15th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, six have assigned a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, Aardvark Therapeutics presently has an average rating of "Hold" and an average price target of $19.70.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aardvark Therapeutics

Hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Diadema Partners LP purchased a new stake in Aardvark Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $208,000. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new position in Aardvark Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at $56,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its position in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 259.5% in the fourth quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 14,080 shares of the company's stock worth $185,000 after acquiring an additional 10,163 shares during the period. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth about $102,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE boosted its stake in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 72.9% during the 2nd quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,989 shares of the company's stock worth $108,000 after acquiring an additional 3,369 shares in the last quarter.

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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