Atyr PHARMA INC (NASDAQ:ATYR) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Atyr PHARMA INC (NASDAQ:ATYR) was the recipient of a significant increase in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,920,000 shares, an increase of 34.6% from the November 30th total of 2,170,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 988,700 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 3.0 days. Currently, 3.6% of the company’s shares are short sold.

Atyr PHARMA Stock Performance

ATYR traded down $0.03 during trading hours on Friday, reaching $3.74. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 1,046,593 shares, compared to its average volume of 603,420. Atyr PHARMA has a 52 week low of $1.38 and a 52 week high of $3.98. The firm has a market cap of $313.94 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -3.98 and a beta of 1.07. The company’s 50-day simple moving average is $3.26. The company has a current ratio of 5.41, a quick ratio of 5.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.02.

Atyr PHARMA (NASDAQ:ATYR) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, November 7th. The company reported ($0.23) earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($0.22) by ($0.01). Equities analysts anticipate that Atyr PHARMA will post -0.89 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

ATYR has been the topic of a number of research analyst reports. Wells Fargo & Company began coverage on Atyr PHARMA in a research note on Friday, October 4th. They issued an “overweight” rating and a $17.00 target price on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group started coverage on shares of Atyr PHARMA in a report on Thursday, September 5th. They set a “buy” rating and a $9.00 target price for the company. Finally, HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and issued a $35.00 price target on shares of Atyr PHARMA in a research note on Tuesday, December 10th.

About Atyr PHARMA

aTyr Pharma, Inc, a biotherapeutics company, engages in the discovery and development of medicines based on novel immunological pathways in the United States. Its lead therapeutic candidate is efzofitimod, a selective modulator of NRP2 that is in Phase III clinical trial for pulmonary sarcoidosis; and in Phase 1b/2a clinical trial for treatment of other interstitial lung diseases (ILDs), such as chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis and connective tissue disease related ILD.