HC Wainwright Reiterates Neutral Rating for Aardvark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AARD)

Aardvark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AARD)‘s stock had its “neutral” rating reiterated by equities research analysts at HC Wainwright in a note issued to investors on Monday, Marketbeat.com reports.

Other equities research analysts have also recently issued research reports about the stock. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, November 14th. Raymond James Financial reiterated a “strong-buy” rating and set a $47.00 target price on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, January 12th. Oppenheimer began coverage on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, December 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $35.00 target price for the company. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, B. Riley Financial assumed coverage on Aardvark Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, January 28th. They set a “buy” rating and a $32.00 price objective for the company. One research 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. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Aardvark Therapeutics presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $25.09.

Aardvark Therapeutics Trading Down 10.4%

Shares of NASDAQ AARD opened at $4.90 on Monday. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $13.20 and a 200 day moving average of $12.10. The firm has a market capitalization of $106.67 million and a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.31. Aardvark Therapeutics has a 12-month low of $4.74 and a 12-month high of $17.94.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other Aardvark Therapeutics news, CEO Tien-Li Lee purchased 7,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Thursday, December 11th. The stock was purchased at an average cost of $14.48 per share, with a total value of $101,360.00. Following the purchase, the chief executive officer owned 1,551,613 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $22,467,356.24. The trade was a 0.45% increase in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, CFO Nelson Sun bought 3,000 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Thursday, December 11th. The shares were bought at an average cost of $14.40 per share, with a total value of $43,200.00. Following the completion of the purchase, 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 SEC filing for this purchase provides additional information.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Aardvark Therapeutics

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Diadema Partners LP acquired a new stake in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth $208,000. Persistent Asset Partners Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at about $56,000. Wells Fargo & Company MN raised its position in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 259.5% in the 4th quarter. Wells Fargo & Company MN now owns 14,080 shares of the company’s stock valued at $185,000 after purchasing an additional 10,163 shares during the last quarter. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth $102,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE increased its holdings in shares of Aardvark Therapeutics by 72.9% in the second quarter. Bank of America Corp DE now owns 7,989 shares of the company’s stock valued at $108,000 after purchasing an additional 3,369 shares during the period.

Aardvark Therapeutics News Roundup

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

About Aardvark Therapeutics

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.