Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AKRO) Trading Up 5.5%

Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKRO) shares were up 5.5% during trading on Monday . The company traded as high as $20.77 and last traded at $20.74. Approximately 65,585 shares traded hands during trading, a decline of 94% from the average daily volume of 1,191,632 shares. The stock had previously closed at $19.66.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of research analysts have issued reports on AKRO shares. Bank of America initiated coverage on Akero Therapeutics in a report on Monday, April 22nd. They issued a “neutral” rating and a $30.00 price target for the company. HC Wainwright boosted their target price on shares of Akero Therapeutics from $40.00 to $43.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Friday, March 1st. Finally, UBS Group raised their target price on Akero Therapeutics from $39.00 to $42.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, March 5th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and six have assigned a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, Akero Therapeutics has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $37.71.

Akero Therapeutics Stock Performance

The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $24.17 and its 200-day moving average price is $21.14. The company has a current ratio of 29.27, a quick ratio of 29.27 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.05. The firm has a market cap of $1.45 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.38 and a beta of -0.29.

Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AKRO) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, February 29th. The company reported ($0.99) EPS for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.82) by ($0.17). Analysts expect that Akero Therapeutics, Inc. will post -3.93 earnings per share for the current year.

Insider Transactions at Akero Therapeutics

In other Akero Therapeutics news, COO Jonathan Young sold 5,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.15, for a total transaction of $100,750.00. Following the transaction, the chief operating officer now directly owns 258,306 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,204,865.90. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at the SEC website. In other news, insider Catriona Yale sold 20,646 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, March 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.49, for a total transaction of $732,726.54. Following the transaction, the insider now directly owns 78,415 shares in the company, valued at $2,782,948.35. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, COO Jonathan Young sold 5,000 shares of Akero Therapeutics stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, May 1st. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.15, for a total value of $100,750.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief operating officer now owns 258,306 shares in the company, valued at $5,204,865.90. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. Over the last ninety days, insiders have sold 105,646 shares of company stock worth $3,420,627. Insiders own 9.69% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Akero Therapeutics

Several institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. abrdn plc purchased a new stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $1,671,000. Vanguard Group Inc. raised its stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics by 12.1% during the third quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 3,012,182 shares of the company’s stock valued at $152,356,000 after purchasing an additional 326,308 shares during the period. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics by 6.3% during the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 2,750,348 shares of the company’s stock valued at $139,113,000 after buying an additional 162,820 shares during the last quarter. Alkeon Capital Management LLC raised its stake in Akero Therapeutics by 8.7% during the third quarter. Alkeon Capital Management LLC now owns 3,767,380 shares of the company’s stock valued at $190,554,000 after buying an additional 300,000 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Clough Capital Partners L P acquired a new stake in shares of Akero Therapeutics during the third quarter worth $3,652,000.

About Akero Therapeutics

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.