Benitec Biopharma (NASDAQ:BNTC) Lowered to Sell Rating by Wall Street Zen

Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Benitec Biopharma (NASDAQ:BNTC) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a research note published on Friday morning.

Several other equities research analysts also recently commented on BNTC. TD Cowen started coverage on Benitec Biopharma in a report on Monday, July 7th. They issued a “buy” rating for the company. Oppenheimer reiterated an “outperform” rating and set a $29.00 price objective (down from $35.00) on shares of Benitec Biopharma in a research note on Tuesday, September 16th. Finally, JMP Securities reissued a “market outperform” rating and issued a $20.00 price target on shares of Benitec Biopharma in a report on Wednesday. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating and seven have given a Buy rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus target price of $24.80.

Benitec Biopharma Stock Performance

Shares of Benitec Biopharma stock opened at $13.70 on Friday. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $12.74 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $13.48. The company has a current ratio of 54.67, a quick ratio of 14.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. The firm has a market capitalization of $359.63 million, a P/E ratio of -9.32 and a beta of 0.43. Benitec Biopharma has a 12 month low of $8.49 and a 12 month high of $17.15.

Benitec Biopharma (NASDAQ:BNTC) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, September 25th. The biotechnology company reported ($0.42) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.24) by ($0.18). On average, equities analysts forecast that Benitec Biopharma will post -1.48 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Benitec Biopharma

Hedge funds have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Infinitum Asset Management LLC raised its stake in shares of Benitec Biopharma by 435.7% in the first quarter. Infinitum Asset Management LLC now owns 1,125,000 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $14,636,000 after purchasing an additional 915,000 shares during the last quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC grew its holdings in Benitec Biopharma by 77.6% in the second quarter. Geode Capital Management LLC now owns 415,211 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $4,859,000 after purchasing an additional 181,391 shares during the period. AWM Investment Company Inc. grew its holdings in Benitec Biopharma by 35.2% in the first quarter. AWM Investment Company Inc. now owns 137,977 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $1,795,000 after purchasing an additional 35,950 shares during the period. Ameriprise Financial Inc. lifted its position in shares of Benitec Biopharma by 219.4% in the second quarter. Ameriprise Financial Inc. now owns 109,925 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $1,286,000 after acquiring an additional 75,507 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in shares of Benitec Biopharma by 1,104.3% in the first quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 77,605 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $1,010,000 after acquiring an additional 71,161 shares in the last quarter. 52.19% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Benitec Biopharma Company Profile

Benitec Biopharma Inc, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, focuses on the development of novel genetic medicines. The company develops DNA-directed RNA interference-based therapeutics for chronic and life-threatening human conditions. It is developing BB-301, an adeno-associated virus based gene therapy agent for treating oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy.