Short Interest in BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) Rises By 29.6%

BioNTech SE (NASDAQ:BNTX) was the recipient of a large growth in short interest during the month of October. As of October 15th, there was short interest totalling 2,410,000 shares, a growth of 29.6% from the September 30th total of 1,860,000 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 975,500 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 2.5 days. Currently, 1.0% of the company’s stock are short sold.

BioNTech Stock Up 0.7 %

Shares of BioNTech stock opened at $114.01 on Wednesday. BioNTech has a one year low of $76.53 and a one year high of $131.49. The company has a market cap of $27.11 billion, a P/E ratio of -50.45 and a beta of 0.24. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 7.40 and a current ratio of 7.54. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $108.24 and a two-hundred day moving average of $95.36.

BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Monday, August 5th. The company reported ($3.36) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($2.02) by ($1.34). The firm had revenue of $128.70 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $134.98 million. BioNTech had a negative return on equity of 2.54% and a negative net margin of 18.69%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 23.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same period in the prior year, the company earned ($0.86) earnings per share. On average, analysts forecast that BioNTech will post -3.04 earnings per share for the current year.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of brokerages recently weighed in on BNTX. Bank of America boosted their price target on shares of BioNTech from $125.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday, September 16th. TD Cowen upped their target price on BioNTech from $85.00 to $132.00 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Monday, October 21st. JPMorgan Chase & Co. raised BioNTech from an “underweight” rating to a “neutral” rating and lifted their price target for the stock from $91.00 to $125.00 in a research report on Monday, September 16th. Deutsche Bank Aktiengesellschaft increased their price objective on BioNTech from $95.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday, September 19th. Finally, HSBC lifted their target price on shares of BioNTech from $97.00 to $136.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, October 7th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, eight have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $135.54.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On BioNTech

Large investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. Capital World Investors grew its holdings in BioNTech by 0.5% during the first quarter. Capital World Investors now owns 943,116 shares of the company’s stock worth $87,002,000 after acquiring an additional 4,369 shares during the period. Deerfield Management Company L.P. Series C boosted its position in shares of BioNTech by 4.3% during the 2nd quarter. Deerfield Management Company L.P. Series C now owns 594,000 shares of the company’s stock worth $47,734,000 after purchasing an additional 24,426 shares in the last quarter. Candriam S.C.A. boosted its position in shares of BioNTech by 261.2% during the 2nd quarter. Candriam S.C.A. now owns 578,998 shares of the company’s stock worth $46,526,000 after purchasing an additional 418,695 shares in the last quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale grew its stake in shares of BioNTech by 12.6% during the 3rd quarter. DekaBank Deutsche Girozentrale now owns 481,397 shares of the company’s stock worth $56,886,000 after purchasing an additional 53,800 shares during the period. Finally, Point72 Asset Management L.P. increased its holdings in shares of BioNTech by 283.5% in the 2nd quarter. Point72 Asset Management L.P. now owns 461,711 shares of the company’s stock valued at $37,103,000 after purchasing an additional 341,311 shares in the last quarter. 15.52% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About BioNTech

BioNTech SE, a biotechnology company, develops and commercializes immunotherapies for cancer and other infectious diseases. The company is developing FixVac product candidates, including BNT111, which is in Phase II clinical trial for advance melanoma; BNT112 that is in Phase I/IIa clinical trial for prostate cancer; BNT113, which is in Phase II clinical trial to treat HPV 16+ head and neck cancers; BNT114 to treat triple negative breast cancer; BNT115, which is in Phase I clinical trial in ovarian cancer; and BNT116, which is in Phase I clinical trial for non-small cell lung cancer.