BTIG Research Lowers Aardvark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AARD) Price Target to $9.00

Aardvark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AARD) had its price objective reduced by stock analysts at BTIG Research from $26.00 to $9.00 in a research note issued to investors on Monday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the stock. BTIG Research’s price target would suggest a potential upside of 83.67% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other analysts have also recently issued reports on the company. Oppenheimer initiated coverage on Aardvark Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, December 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $35.00 price objective on the stock. B. Riley Financial began coverage on Aardvark Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, January 28th. They set a “buy” rating and a $32.00 price objective for the company. Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, November 14th. William Blair assumed coverage on Aardvark Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, December 12th. They issued an “outperform” rating on the stock. Finally, Weiss Ratings restated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, December 29th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $25.09.

Aardvark Therapeutics Price Performance

NASDAQ:AARD opened at $4.90 on Monday. Aardvark Therapeutics has a 1 year low of $4.74 and a 1 year high of $17.94. The business has a fifty day simple moving average of $13.20 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $12.10. The company has a market capitalization of $106.67 million and a P/E ratio of -2.31.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Aardvark Therapeutics news, CFO Nelson Sun purchased 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $14.40 per share, with a total value of $43,200.00. Following the transaction, the chief financial officer directly owned 108,484 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,562,169.60. This trade represents a 2.84% increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. Also, CEO Tien-Li Lee acquired 7,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $14.48 per share, for a total transaction of $101,360.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 1,551,613 shares in the company, valued at approximately $22,467,356.24. The trade was a 0.45% increase in their position. The SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Aardvark Therapeutics

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Citadel Advisors LLC increased its position in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 5.9% during the third quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 1,359,883 shares of the company’s stock valued at $18,073,000 after buying an additional 76,151 shares during the period. Laurion Capital Management LP raised its holdings in Aardvark Therapeutics by 6.1% in the third quarter. Laurion Capital Management LP now owns 1,049,721 shares of the company’s stock worth $13,951,000 after purchasing an additional 60,653 shares in the last quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 20.6% during the 3rd quarter. Vanguard Group Inc. now owns 555,721 shares of the company’s stock valued at $7,386,000 after buying an additional 94,744 shares in the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 51.2% during the fourth quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 483,340 shares of the company’s stock valued at $6,344,000 after purchasing an additional 163,717 shares in the last quarter. Finally, SymBiosis Capital Partners LLC purchased a new position in Aardvark Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at $6,255,000.

Key Headlines Impacting Aardvark Therapeutics

Here are the key news stories impacting Aardvark Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Some sell‑side firms remain constructive: Oppenheimer kept an “outperform” rating (price target cut to $21) and BTIG retained a “buy” (PT cut to $9) — these provide a potential recovery thesis if clinical issues resolve. Oppenheimer/BTIG Notes
• Neutral Sentiment: Other firms reaffirmed non‑buy stances (Stifel hold, Morgan Stanley equal weight, HC Wainwright neutral) with materially lower price targets, signaling divided analyst views and lower short‑term conviction. Analyst Reaffirmations
• Neutral Sentiment: Short‑interest data in recent reports appears inconsistent (reported zeros/NaN and 0.0 days‑to‑cover). The entries flag potential short interest activity but the published numbers look unreliable — monitor for revised filings.
• Negative Sentiment: Clinical setback: Aardvark voluntarily paused its Phase 3 HERO trial in Prader‑Willi Syndrome after “cardiac observations” were reported — the announcement triggered broad media coverage and is the primary driver of selling pressure while the company reviews the safety data. FierceBiotech: Trial Pause BioSpace: Safety Signals BioPharmaDive: Safety Concerns Investing.com: Market Reaction BioWorld: Data Review
• Negative Sentiment: Investor legal risk: Pomerantz LLP announced an investigation into Aardvark on behalf of shareholders, which can prolong uncertainty and increase downside risk until the company discloses results of its safety review. GlobeNewswire: Pomerantz Investigation

Aardvark Therapeutics Company Profile

Aardvark Therapeutics, Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, specializing in the discovery and development of small-molecule modulators of the retinoic acid receptor–related orphan receptor gamma (RORγ). RORγ plays a central role in T-helper 17 (Th17) cell differentiation and inflammatory processes. By targeting this transcription factor, Aardvark aims to address a range of autoimmune and immune-mediated diseases.

The company’s lead programs consist of selective RORγ inverse agonists designed to suppress pathogenic Th17-driven responses in conditions such as psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease and other chronic inflammatory disorders.