Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ:LQDA) Given Average Recommendation of “Moderate Buy” by Brokerages

Shares of Liquidia Corporation (NASDAQ:LQDA) have been assigned an average rating of “Moderate Buy” from the eleven ratings firms that are covering the firm, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Two analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have assigned a buy rating and two have assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average twelve-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $39.6667.

Several research firms recently weighed in on LQDA. BTIG Research reaffirmed a “buy” rating and issued a $49.00 price objective on shares of Liquidia in a research note on Friday, January 9th. Wells Fargo & Company started coverage on shares of Liquidia in a report on Monday, October 20th. They set an “overweight” rating and a $31.00 price target on the stock. Needham & Company LLC increased their price objective on shares of Liquidia from $36.00 to $52.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, November 4th. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Liquidia from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Sunday, January 18th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group boosted their target price on shares of Liquidia from $45.00 to $55.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, January 13th.

Insider Buying and Selling at Liquidia

In other news, General Counsel Russell Schundler sold 27,289 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $37.43, for a total value of $1,021,427.27. Following the completion of the transaction, the general counsel owned 579,394 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $21,686,717.42. This represents a 4.50% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CFO Michael Kaseta sold 36,932 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 12th. The shares were sold at an average price of $37.43, for a total transaction of $1,382,364.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief financial officer owned 350,919 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $13,134,898.17. This trade represents a 9.52% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders have sold a total of 252,476 shares of company stock worth $9,173,435 over the last three months. 26.50% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Liquidia

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of LQDA. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Liquidia by 41.9% in the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 1,216 shares of the company’s stock valued at $42,000 after purchasing an additional 359 shares during the period. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Liquidia by 7.2% during the 4th quarter. PNC Financial Services Group Inc. now owns 6,304 shares of the company’s stock worth $217,000 after buying an additional 422 shares in the last quarter. Whitcomb & Hess Inc. increased its stake in shares of Liquidia by 2.0% in the 3rd quarter. Whitcomb & Hess Inc. now owns 28,385 shares of the company’s stock valued at $645,000 after acquiring an additional 558 shares in the last quarter. Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co. acquired a new position in shares of Liquidia during the 4th quarter valued at $25,000. Finally, ProShare Advisors LLC boosted its stake in Liquidia by 7.1% during the fourth quarter. ProShare Advisors LLC now owns 11,756 shares of the company’s stock worth $405,000 after acquiring an additional 775 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors own 64.54% of the company’s stock.

Liquidia Stock Down 2.2%

Shares of LQDA opened at $38.20 on Friday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $37.40 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $29.74. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 6.19, a current ratio of 2.20 and a quick ratio of 1.96. Liquidia has a one year low of $11.26 and a one year high of $46.67. The company has a market cap of $3.32 billion, a P/E ratio of -26.53, a P/E/G ratio of 1.07 and a beta of 0.46.

About Liquidia

Liquidia Technologies, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The company leverages its proprietary PRINT® (Particle Replication In Non-wetting Templates) platform to engineer precisely shaped and sized drug particles, with the goal of improving delivery, efficacy and safety profiles. By controlling particle characteristics at the nanoscale, Liquidia seeks to enhance respiratory and other therapies that depend on targeted delivery.

The company’s lead product candidate, LIQ861, is a dry powder formulation of treprostinil designed for inhalation in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).