MannKind Target of Unusually High Options Trading (NASDAQ:MNKD)

MannKind Corporation (NASDAQ:MNKD) saw some unusual options trading on Wednesday. Traders purchased 3,175 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 140% compared to the average volume of 1,324 call options.

MannKind Stock Performance

MannKind stock traded down $2.05 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, reaching $3.50. 10,737,104 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 3,571,914. The firm’s 50-day simple moving average is $5.71 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $5.38. MannKind has a twelve month low of $3.36 and a twelve month high of $6.51. The firm has a market cap of $1.07 billion, a PE ratio of 35.21 and a beta of 0.84.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have recently weighed in on MNKD shares. Leerink Partners assumed coverage on shares of MannKind in a research report on Thursday, November 13th. They set an “outperform” rating and a $7.00 price objective for the company. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of MannKind from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating in a research note on Saturday, November 8th. Zacks Research lowered MannKind from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. HC Wainwright reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $11.00 target price on shares of MannKind in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “hold (c)” rating on shares of MannKind in a research report on Thursday, January 22nd. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating and two have issued a Hold rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, MannKind currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $10.06.

Insider Activity

In other news, insider Stuart A. Tross sold 47,006 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Thursday, January 8th. The stock was sold at an average price of $6.33, for a total transaction of $297,547.98. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider directly owned 985,007 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,235,094.31. The trade was a 4.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CEO Michael Castagna sold 107,920 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, December 2nd. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.57, for a total transaction of $601,114.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 2,504,792 shares in the company, valued at approximately $13,951,691.44. This represents a 4.13% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. Insiders sold a total of 262,846 shares of company stock valued at $1,546,840 in the last quarter. Company insiders own 3.00% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On MannKind

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of MNKD. Quaker Wealth Management LLC boosted its holdings in shares of MannKind by 200.0% in the second quarter. Quaker Wealth Management LLC now owns 7,000 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $26,000 after acquiring an additional 14,000 shares in the last quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd increased its position in MannKind by 108.0% during the 4th quarter. Caitong International Asset Management Co. Ltd now owns 5,636 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $32,000 after purchasing an additional 2,927 shares during the period. Sumitomo Mitsui Trust Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of MannKind during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $42,000. International Assets Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MannKind in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $45,000. Finally, Burkett Financial Services LLC acquired a new stake in shares of MannKind in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $59,000. 49.55% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

MannKind Company Profile

MannKind Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company specialized in the development and commercialization of inhaled therapeutic products. The company’s core business revolves around its proprietary Technosphere® drug‐delivery platform, which is designed to enable rapid absorption of small‐molecule drugs through pulmonary administration. MannKind’s lead product, Afrezza®, is an inhaled insulin therapy intended for adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, offering users a rapid‐acting alternative to traditional injectable insulins.

Afrezza received U.S.