Afya Limited (NASDAQ:AFYA) Sees Significant Increase in Short Interest

Afya Limited (NASDAQ:AFYA) was the target of a significant growth in short interest in the month of July. As of July 31st, there was short interest totaling 296,800 shares, agrowthof36.6% from the July 15th total of 217,200 shares. Based on an average daily volume of 125,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.4 days. Approximately2.4% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Approximately2.4% of the shares of the stock are sold short. Based on an average daily volume of 125,600 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is presently 2.4 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Afya

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. State of Wyoming bought a new stake in shares of Afya during the second quarter valued at about $164,000. Militia Capital Partners LP purchased a new position in shares of Afya during the second quarter worth about $71,000. Lazard Asset Management LLC boosted its stake in Afya by 166.6% in the second quarter. Lazard Asset Management LLC now owns 18,463 shares of the company’s stock worth $329,000 after buying an additional 11,537 shares in the last quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP purchased a new stake in Afya in the second quarter worth approximately $363,000. Finally, BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in Afya by 175.2% in the second quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 25,511 shares of the company’s stock worth $456,000 after buying an additional 16,241 shares in the last quarter. 88.02% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Afya Trading Up 0.1%

NASDAQ AFYA opened at $14.96 on Thursday. Afya has a one year low of $13.47 and a one year high of $19.90. The business’s fifty day moving average is $15.95 and its 200-day moving average is $17.19. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.40 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.33, a PEG ratio of 0.53 and a beta of 0.53. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22, a current ratio of 0.94 and a quick ratio of 0.94.

Analyst Ratings Changes

AFYA has been the subject of a number of research reports. Morgan Stanley set a $17.50 target price on shares of Afya and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a report on Wednesday, August 6th. Citigroup raised shares of Afya from a “sell” rating to a “neutral” rating and decreased their target price for the company from $16.00 to $14.00 in a research report on Tuesday, July 29th. Zacks Research raised shares of Afya to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, August 8th. UBS Group reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and set a $19.50 price objective (up previously from $17.50) on shares of Afya in a research report on Thursday, June 12th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Afya from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, July 26th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has a consensus rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $17.50.

Afya Company Profile

Afya Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a medical education group in Brazil. The company operates through three segments: Undergrad, Continuing Education, and Digital Services. It offers educational products and services, including medical schools, medical residency preparatory courses, graduate courses, and other programs to lifelong medical learners enrolled across its distribution network, as well as to third-party medical schools.