Franklin Resources Inc. Sells 75,024 Shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH)

Franklin Resources Inc. lowered its position in shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:AUPH) (TSE:AUP) by 78.7% in the 3rd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 20,253 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after selling 75,024 shares during the period. Franklin Resources Inc.’s holdings in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals were worth $144,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

A number of other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also recently modified their holdings of the company. CWM LLC grew its position in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 247.7% during the third quarter. CWM LLC now owns 11,483 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $84,000 after acquiring an additional 8,180 shares during the last quarter. FMR LLC boosted its stake in shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 44.8% in the 3rd quarter. FMR LLC now owns 12,673 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $93,000 after purchasing an additional 3,919 shares in the last quarter. B. Riley Wealth Advisors Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter valued at $84,000. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. grew its holdings in shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 63.7% during the 3rd quarter. China Universal Asset Management Co. Ltd. now owns 27,502 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $202,000 after purchasing an additional 10,700 shares during the last quarter. Finally, PFG Investments LLC raised its position in Aurinia Pharmaceuticals by 37.9% in the 2nd quarter. PFG Investments LLC now owns 28,750 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $164,000 after purchasing an additional 7,900 shares during the period. 36.83% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

AUPH stock opened at $8.77 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.17, a current ratio of 5.60 and a quick ratio of 5.11. Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a 1 year low of $4.71 and a 1 year high of $10.67. The company has a market cap of $1.26 billion, a P/E ratio of -58.46 and a beta of 1.41. The stock’s fifty day moving average price is $8.62 and its 200-day moving average price is $7.10.

Insider Buying and Selling at Aurinia Pharmaceuticals

In other news, Director Jeffrey Allen Bailey sold 4,557 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, November 11th. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.43, for a total value of $38,415.51. Following the completion of the transaction, the director now owns 13,356 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $112,591.08. This represents a 25.44 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. 4.30% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts recently weighed in on AUPH shares. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating and set a $13.00 price target on shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Friday, September 6th. StockNews.com lowered Aurinia Pharmaceuticals from a “strong-buy” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Friday, December 13th. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $10.00 target price on shares of Aurinia Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Monday, September 16th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and four have issued a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $10.00.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc, a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing therapies to treat various diseases with unmet medical need in the United States. It offers LUPKYNIS for the treatment of adult patients with active lupus nephritis. It has a collaboration and license agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co, Ltd.