Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASMB) Short Interest Update

Assembly Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASMB) was the recipient of a large decline in short interest in December. As of December 15th, there was short interest totalling 13,300 shares, a decline of 16.4% from the November 30th total of 15,900 shares. Based on an average daily trading volume, of 33,400 shares, the short-interest ratio is currently 0.4 days. Approximately 0.3% of the shares of the company are sold short.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

ASMB has been the topic of a number of research reports. HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “neutral” rating on shares of Assembly Biosciences in a research note on Friday. Jefferies Financial Group upgraded shares of Assembly Biosciences from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and boosted their price target for the stock from $2.00 to $35.00 in a research report on Friday, September 20th.

Assembly Biosciences Stock Down 1.4 %

Shares of NASDAQ:ASMB traded down $0.22 during trading on Friday, reaching $15.16. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 30,908 shares, compared to its average volume of 25,238. Assembly Biosciences has a 12 month low of $9.12 and a 12 month high of $19.93. The firm’s 50 day simple moving average is $16.05 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $15.59.

Insider Activity

In related news, major shareholder Alexander Schornstein acquired 10,000 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, October 8th. The stock was acquired at an average cost of $14.58 per share, with a total value of $145,800.00. Following the acquisition, the insider now directly owns 703,113 shares in the company, valued at $10,251,387.54. This represents a 1.44 % increase in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this link. Insiders have sold a total of 394 shares of company stock valued at $5,894 in the last ninety days. Corporate insiders own 5.10% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Assembly Biosciences

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased its position in shares of Assembly Biosciences by 5,137.3% during the 3rd quarter. JPMorgan Chase & Co. now owns 3,509 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $53,000 after purchasing an additional 3,442 shares during the last quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Assembly Biosciences by 131.0% during the second quarter. Acadian Asset Management LLC now owns 13,558 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $184,000 after buying an additional 7,690 shares during the period. FMR LLC raised its stake in shares of Assembly Biosciences by 29.7% in the third quarter. FMR LLC now owns 15,855 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $240,000 after acquiring an additional 3,635 shares during the period. Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its stake in shares of Assembly Biosciences by 39.2% in the second quarter. Renaissance Technologies LLC now owns 54,911 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $753,000 after acquiring an additional 15,451 shares during the period. Finally, Armistice Capital LLC purchased a new position in shares of Assembly Biosciences during the 2nd quarter worth about $6,421,000. 19.92% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

About Assembly Biosciences

Assembly Biosciences, Inc, a biotechnology company, develops therapeutic candidates for the treatment of viral diseases. It develops ABI-5366, a long-acting herpes simplex virus (HSV) helicase-primase inhibitor that is in Phase 1a/1b clinical trial to treat recurrent genital herpes; ABI-1179, which is in Phase 1a/1b clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent genital herpes; and ABI-6250, a small molecule orally bioavailable hepatitis delta virus entry inhibitor that is in Phase 1a clinical trial.