Celcuity Inc. (NASDAQ:CELC) Short Interest Up 11.4% in September

Celcuity Inc. (NASDAQ:CELC) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of September. As of September 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,550,000 shares, an increase of 11.4% from the August 31st total of 2,290,000 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 416,400 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 6.1 days.

Celcuity Stock Up 1.1 %

Shares of NASDAQ CELC traded up $0.16 on Friday, reaching $14.40. 101,975 shares of the company’s stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 291,706. The company has a quick ratio of 14.95, a current ratio of 14.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.54. The company has a market cap of $505.45 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -5.18 and a beta of 0.76. The business’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.27 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $16.75. Celcuity has a 12 month low of $8.39 and a 12 month high of $22.19.

Celcuity (NASDAQ:CELC) last issued its earnings results on Wednesday, August 14th. The company reported ($0.62) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($0.71) by $0.09. During the same quarter in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.66) earnings per share. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Celcuity will post -2.54 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several analysts have issued reports on the stock. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and set a $27.00 price target on shares of Celcuity in a research report on Thursday, August 15th. Lifesci Capital began coverage on Celcuity in a research report on Monday, August 26th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $27.00 price objective for the company. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of Celcuity from $40.00 to $39.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research note on Thursday, August 15th. Leerink Partnrs raised shares of Celcuity to a “strong-buy” rating in a report on Monday, July 22nd. Finally, Leerink Partners began coverage on shares of Celcuity in a research note on Monday, July 22nd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $29.00 price objective for the company. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Celcuity presently has an average rating of “Buy” and an average price target of $28.67.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Celcuity

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Perceptive Advisors LLC purchased a new stake in Celcuity during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $21,583,000. Baker BROS. Advisors LP raised its stake in shares of Celcuity by 189.9% in the first quarter. Baker BROS. Advisors LP now owns 1,552,478 shares of the company’s stock worth $33,534,000 after buying an additional 1,017,000 shares during the period. Samlyn Capital LLC grew its stake in shares of Celcuity by 92.4% during the 2nd quarter. Samlyn Capital LLC now owns 1,326,953 shares of the company’s stock valued at $21,735,000 after acquiring an additional 637,190 shares during the period. Healthcare of Ontario Pension Plan Trust Fund bought a new position in Celcuity in the 1st quarter worth $3,545,000. Finally, Driehaus Capital Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Celcuity by 62.3% in the second quarter. Driehaus Capital Management LLC now owns 204,592 shares of the company’s stock valued at $3,351,000 after acquiring an additional 78,525 shares in the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 63.33% of the company’s stock.

About Celcuity

Celcuity Inc, a clinical stage biotechnology company, focuses on the development of targeted therapies for the treatment of various solid tumors in the United States. The company's CELsignia diagnostic platform uses a patient's living tumor cells to identify the specific abnormal cellular process driving a patient's cancer and the related targeted therapy for the treatment.