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

Key Points

• Afya Limited experienced a 36.6% increase in short interest in July, resulting in a total of 296,800 shares sold short as of July 31st.
• Several brokerages have issued mixed ratings for Afya, with a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $17.50.
• Hedge funds increased their holdings in Afya, with JPMorgan Chase & Co. raising its stake by over 2,115%, now owning 6,670 shares worth $106,000.

Afya Limited (NASDAQ:AFYA - Get Free Report) saw a large increase in short interest in July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totaling 296,800 shares, anincreaseof36.6% from the July 15th total of 217,200 shares. Currently,2.4% of the company's shares are sold short. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 125,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.4 days. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 125,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.4 days. Currently,2.4% of the company's shares are sold short.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several brokerages have issued reports on AFYA. UBS Group restated a "neutral" rating and issued a $19.50 target price (up from $17.50) on shares of Afya in a report on Thursday, June 12th. Zacks Research upgraded Afya to a "hold" rating in a report on Friday, August 8th. Citigroup upgraded Afya from a "sell" rating to a "neutral" rating and dropped their target price for the company from $16.00 to $14.00 in a report on Tuesday, July 29th. Morgan Stanley set a $17.50 target price on Afya and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 6th. Finally, Wall Street Zen cut Afya from a "buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, July 26th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and an average target price of $17.50.

Afya Stock Performance

NASDAQ AFYA opened at $14.95 on Wednesday. The stock has a market cap of $1.40 billion, a PE ratio of 11.33, a P/E/G ratio of 0.54 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.94 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. Afya has a twelve month low of $13.47 and a twelve month high of $19.90. The stock has a fifty day simple moving average of $16.01 and a 200-day simple moving average of $17.21.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Afya

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio lifted its stake in Afya by 40.0% during the 4th quarter. Public Employees Retirement System of Ohio now owns 2,800 shares of the company's stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 800 shares in the last quarter. Militia Capital Partners LP acquired a new position in Afya during the 2nd quarter worth about $71,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its stake in Afya by 1,099.7% during the 4th quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,031 shares of the company's stock worth $64,000 after acquiring an additional 3,695 shares in the last quarter. Quantbot Technologies LP acquired a new position in Afya during the 2nd quarter worth about $117,000. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. lifted its stake in Afya by 2,115.9% during the 4th quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 6,670 shares of the company's stock worth $106,000 after acquiring an additional 6,369 shares in the last quarter. 88.02% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Afya

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.

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