Dimensional Fund Advisors LP Buys 5,152 Shares of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX)

Dimensional Fund Advisors LP boosted its stake in shares of Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:PLRX) by 1.7% in the second quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 305,322 shares of the company’s stock after buying an additional 5,152 shares during the quarter. Dimensional Fund Advisors LP owned approximately 0.51% of Pliant Therapeutics worth $3,282,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other institutional investors have also added to or reduced their stakes in PLRX. Summit Securities Group LLC purchased a new position in Pliant Therapeutics during the second quarter valued at approximately $59,000. SG Americas Securities LLC bought a new stake in Pliant Therapeutics during the first quarter valued at about $107,000. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its stake in Pliant Therapeutics by 67.1% in the first quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 11,581 shares of the company’s stock valued at $173,000 after purchasing an additional 4,652 shares during the last quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC raised its holdings in Pliant Therapeutics by 9.1% in the first quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 14,489 shares of the company’s stock worth $216,000 after purchasing an additional 1,203 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. lifted its position in shares of Pliant Therapeutics by 221.2% during the second quarter. Harbor Capital Advisors Inc. now owns 27,557 shares of the company’s stock valued at $296,000 after buying an additional 18,977 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 97.30% of the company’s stock.

Pliant Therapeutics Price Performance

Shares of Pliant Therapeutics stock opened at $11.60 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 14.47, a current ratio of 14.47 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.08. Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. has a twelve month low of $10.22 and a twelve month high of $19.62. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $12.40 and its 200 day moving average price is $12.66.

Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 7th. The company reported ($0.92) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.85) by ($0.07). On average, research analysts expect that Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. will post -3.71 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts recently commented on PLRX shares. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $38.00 price objective on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, September 13th. Oppenheimer dropped their target price on Pliant Therapeutics from $48.00 to $45.00 and set an “outperform” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Leerink Partners began coverage on Pliant Therapeutics in a report on Monday, September 9th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $33.00 price target for the company. Leerink Partnrs raised shares of Pliant Therapeutics to a “strong-buy” rating in a research report on Monday, September 9th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Pliant Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, August 8th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and an average target price of $40.57.

About Pliant Therapeutics

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis and related diseases in the United States. The company's lead candidate is bexotegrast, an oral, small-molecule, dual selective inhibitor of avß6 and avß1 integrins, which is in phase 2b trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and in phase 2a trial for primary sclerosing cholangitis.