ImageneBio, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMA) Sees Significant Decline in Short Interest

Key Points

• Short interest plunged 87.2% to 49,297 shares as of August 14, representing about 0.4% of outstanding shares. However, conflicting short-interest data and low trading volume warrant caution when interpreting the trend.
• ImageneBio shares were recently near $5.55, while analysts’ consensus price target was $29.00; HC Wainwright initiated a Buy rating with a $28.00 target. Overall analyst sentiment remained mixed, with the consensus rating at Hold.
• The company remains deeply unprofitable: it reported a quarterly loss of $0.63 per share and analysts forecast continued losses through 2030, including projected EPS of -$3.57 in fiscal 2026 and -$5.48 in fiscal 2027.

ImageneBio, Inc. (NASDAQ:IMA - Get Free Report) was the target of a large decline in short interest in August. As of August 14th, there was short interest totaling 49,297 shares, a decline of 87.2% from the July 30th total of 384,525 shares. Approximately 0.4% of the company's shares are short sold. Based on an average daily volume of 9,956 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 5.0 days.

ImageneBio Price Performance

NASDAQ IMA remained flat at $5.55 on Wednesday. The company's stock had a trading volume of 4,740 shares, compared to its average volume of 148,203. ImageneBio has a 52-week low of $3.94 and a 52-week high of $13.98. The firm's 50-day moving average is $5.79 and its 200-day moving average is $5.83. The firm has a market capitalization of $62.99 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.21 and a beta of 0.76.

ImageneBio (NASDAQ:IMA - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Wednesday, August 5th. The company reported ($0.63) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts' consensus estimates of ($0.90) by $0.27. As a group, analysts forecast that ImageneBio will post -3.23 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Key ImageneBio News

Here are the key news stories impacting ImageneBio this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Analysts set a $30.00 price target for ImageneBio, implying considerable upside from the recent price near $5.55. The target could support investor sentiment, although the report does not identify a new business or clinical catalyst. Analysts Set ImageneBio, Inc. Price Target at $30.00
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright maintained a Buy rating and a $28.00 price target. Multiple estimates issued by the firm reinforce a bullish valuation view despite projected losses.
• Positive Sentiment: Reported short interest fell 87.2% to 49,297 shares as of August 14 from 384,525 shares at the end of July. Short interest represented approximately 0.4% of shares outstanding, potentially reducing near-term short-selling pressure.
• Neutral Sentiment: A separate report lists short interest at zero shares as of August 25, unchanged from zero on August 10. Because this conflicts with the other short-interest figures and includes an invalid percentage change, investors should treat the data cautiously. The stock’s very low recent trading volume also limits the significance of short-interest trends.
• Negative Sentiment: HC Wainwright expects ImageneBio to remain deeply unprofitable, forecasting EPS of -$3.57 for fiscal 2026 and -$5.48 for fiscal 2027, with losses continuing through fiscal 2030. These projections highlight ongoing financing and execution risks for the biotechnology company.

Institutional Trading of ImageneBio

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of IMA. Barclays PLC boosted its holdings in ImageneBio by 170.8% in the fourth quarter. Barclays PLC now owns 10,797 shares of the company's stock valued at $74,000 after purchasing an additional 6,810 shares during the last quarter. Goldman Sachs Group Inc. bought a new stake in ImageneBio during the fourth quarter valued at $76,000. Millennium Management LLC acquired a new stake in ImageneBio during the fourth quarter worth about $79,000. T3 Companies LLC bought a new stake in shares of ImageneBio in the 4th quarter worth approximately $91,000. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC bought a new stake in ImageneBio in the fourth quarter valued at $103,000. 75.00% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of analysts recently issued reports on IMA shares. HC Wainwright initiated coverage on shares of ImageneBio in a research report on Friday, August 21st. They set a "buy" rating and a $28.00 target price for the company. Wedbush reiterated an "underperform" rating on shares of ImageneBio in a research note on Monday, May 11th. Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (e+)" rating on shares of ImageneBio in a research report on Monday, June 29th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded ImageneBio from a "sell" rating to a "strong sell" rating in a report on Sunday, May 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, one has issued a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and two have given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has a consensus rating of "Hold" and a consensus price target of $29.00.

ImageneBio Company Profile

ImageneBio, Inc, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, develops therapeutics for immunological and inflammatory diseases. Its lead product includes IMG-007, a non-depleting anti-OX40 mAb that has completed Phase 2a clinical trials for the treatment of atopic dermatitis and alopecia areata. The company was formerly known as Ikena Oncology, Inc and changed its name to ImageneBio, Inc in July 2025. ImageneBio, Inc is headquartered in San Diego, California.

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