Should I Buy PLRX? PLRX 2026 Analysis

Should You Buy Pliant Therapeutics Inc (PLRX) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Conclusion

Hold

Latest Price

1.240

1 Day change

-0.80%

52 Week Range

12.880

Analysis Updated At

2026/01/26

Pliant Therapeutics Inc (PLRX) is not a strong buy for a beginner, long-term investor at this time. The lack of positive financial performance, no significant news catalysts, and neutral technical indicators suggest that it is better to hold off on investing in this stock until more favorable conditions arise. Additionally, the absence of strong trading signals and weak growth trends further support a hold recommendation.

Technical Analysis

The MACD is slightly positive at 0.0087 but contracting, indicating no strong momentum. RSI is neutral at 55.279, and moving averages are converging, showing no clear trend. The stock is trading near its pivot level of 1.305, with resistance at 1.359 and support at 1.252. Overall, the technical indicators suggest a neutral stance.

Options Data

Bullish

Open Interest Put-Call Ratio

Bearish

Option Volume Put-Call Ratio

The low open interest put-call ratio indicates bullish sentiment, but the high option volume put-call ratio of 1.6 suggests bearish short-term trading sentiment.

Technical Summary

Sell

Buy

Positive Catalysts

Hedge funds are increasing their positions significantly, with buying up 138.46% over the last quarter. This indicates institutional interest in the stock.

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

No recent news or event-driven catalysts. Financial performance is weak, with a significant drop in net income (-54.47% YoY) and EPS (-54.74% YoY). No recent insider or congress trading activity to indicate confidence in the stock.

Financial Performance

In Q3 2025, the company reported no revenue growth (0% YoY), a net income loss of -$26.3 million (-54.47% YoY), and a significant EPS drop to -0.43 (-54.74% YoY). Gross margin remained at 0%. Overall, the financial performance is poor, with no signs of growth.

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

No data on recent analyst ratings or price target changes. Wall Street sentiment appears neutral with no clear pros or cons identified.

4 Analyst Rating

Wall Street analysts forecast PLRX stock price to rise over the next 12 months. According to Wall Street analysts, the average 1-year price target for PLRX is 3 USD with a low forecast of 2 USD and a high forecast of 4 USD. However, analyst price targets are subjective and often lag stock prices, so investors should focus on the objective reasons behind analyst rating changes, which better reflect the company's fundamentals.

0 Buy

3 Hold

1 Sell

Hold

Current: 1.250

Low

Averages

High

Current: 1.250

Low

Averages

High

Citi

David Lebowitz

Neutral

maintain

AI Analysis

2025-08-10

Reason

Citi

David Lebowitz

Price Target

AI Analysis

2025-08-10

maintain

Neutral

Reason

Citi analyst David Lebowitz raised the firm's price target on Pliant Therapeutics to $1.70 from $1.50 and keeps a Neutral rating on the shares post the Q2 report. The company largely completed its restructuring during the quarter but the path forward bexotegrast remains unclear, the analyst tells investors in a research note.

Piper Sandler

Yasmeen Rahimi

Overweight

downgrade

$17 -> $4

2025-08-08

Reason

Piper Sandler

Yasmeen Rahimi

Price Target

$17 -> $4

2025-08-08

downgrade

Overweight

Reason

Piper Sandler analyst Yasmeen Rahimi lowered the firm's price target on Pliant Therapeutics to $4 from $17 and keeps an Overweight rating on the shares. The firm cites cash per share as there is uncertainty regarding the path forward in oncology. Piper notes that at Pliant's Q2 update, management reiterated that bexotegrast development in IPF has been discontinued following a full analysis of safety/efficacy from Phase 2b/3 BEACON-IPF with full results to be submitted for a future publication.

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PLRX Should I Buy

PLRX Should I Buy

Should You Buy Pliant Therapeutics Inc (PLRX) Today? Analysis, Price Targets, and 2026 Outlook.

Technical Analysis

Options Data

Technical Summary

Positive Catalysts

Neutral/Negative Catalysts

Financial Performance

Growth

Profitability

Efficiency

Analyst Ratings and Price Target Trends

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