Akero Therapeutics Sees Unusually High Options Volume (NASDAQ:AKRO)

Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKRO) saw unusually large options trading on Monday. Stock traders acquired 3,105 call options on the stock. This represents an increase of 106% compared to the average volume of 1,508 call options.

Akero Therapeutics Stock Performance

AKRO stock opened at $54.71 on Tuesday. The firm has a market cap of $4.36 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -14.59 and a beta of -0.16. The company has a quick ratio of 17.25, a current ratio of 17.25 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. Akero Therapeutics has a twelve month low of $21.02 and a twelve month high of $58.40. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $42.56 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $39.79.

Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AKRO) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Monday, May 12th. The company reported $0.90 earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.01) by $1.91. Analysts predict that Akero Therapeutics will post -3.99 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Akero Therapeutics

In other Akero Therapeutics news, CFO William Richard White sold 676 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total value of $30,338.88. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer now owns 61,959 shares in the company, valued at $2,780,719.92. This represents a 1.08% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. Also, COO Jonathan Young sold 607 shares of the stock in a transaction on Wednesday, March 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $44.88, for a total value of $27,242.16. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now owns 200,540 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $9,000,235.20. The trade was a 0.30% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last three months, insiders have sold 171,208 shares of company stock worth $7,458,344. Insiders own 7.07% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Akero Therapeutics

Several institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in AKRO. Northwest & Ethical Investments L.P. acquired a new stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics during the first quarter worth about $32,000. GF Fund Management CO. LTD. acquired a new position in Akero Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $41,000. Sterling Capital Management LLC lifted its stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics by 764.3% in the 4th quarter. Sterling Capital Management LLC now owns 1,789 shares of the company’s stock valued at $50,000 after purchasing an additional 1,582 shares during the last quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. lifted its stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics by 30.8% in the 1st quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 1,658 shares of the company’s stock valued at $67,000 after purchasing an additional 390 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quarry LP purchased a new stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at $83,000.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

AKRO has been the topic of several research reports. Citigroup dropped their price target on Akero Therapeutics from $80.00 to $78.00 and set a “buy” rating on the stock in a research report on Tuesday, May 13th. HC Wainwright upped their price target on shares of Akero Therapeutics from $72.00 to $75.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, March 3rd. Bank of America increased their target price on shares of Akero Therapeutics from $63.00 to $64.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, May 27th. Finally, Morgan Stanley reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Akero Therapeutics in a research report on Sunday, March 2nd. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, Based on data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $82.50.

Akero Therapeutics Company Profile

Akero Therapeutics, Inc, together with its subsidiary, engages in the development of treatments for patients with serious metabolic diseases in the United States. The company's lead product candidate is efruxifermin (EFX), which is in Phase 3 clinical trials that protects against cellular stress and regulates the metabolism of lipids, carbohydrates, and proteins throughout the body for the treatment of biopsy-confirmed metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) patients.