Prudential plc (NYSE:PUK) Short Interest Up 42.6% in February

Prudential plc (NYSE:PUK) saw a large growth in short interest during the month of February. As of February 15th, there was short interest totalling 1,440,000 shares, a growth of 42.6% from the January 31st total of 1,010,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 958,100 shares, the short-interest ratio is presently 1.5 days.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Prudential

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Two Sigma Advisers LP purchased a new stake in shares of Prudential during the 4th quarter worth approximately $773,000. Two Sigma Investments LP increased its stake in shares of Prudential by 63.1% during the 4th quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 307,633 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $4,904,000 after purchasing an additional 119,069 shares during the last quarter. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Prudential by 15.5% during the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 356,748 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $5,687,000 after purchasing an additional 47,994 shares during the last quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in shares of Prudential by 267.4% during the 4th quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 141,532 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $2,256,000 after purchasing an additional 103,005 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Jane Street Group LLC increased its stake in shares of Prudential by 575.1% during the 4th quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 72,470 shares of the financial services provider’s stock worth $1,155,000 after purchasing an additional 61,735 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 1.90% of the company’s stock.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

Separately, StockNews.com upgraded shares of Prudential from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Wednesday, January 22nd.

Prudential Stock Performance

NYSE:PUK traded down $0.05 on Tuesday, hitting $18.55. The stock had a trading volume of 1,709,446 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,057,992. The stock has a market cap of $24.46 billion, a P/E ratio of 7.99, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 0.41 and a beta of 1.20. Prudential has a 1 year low of $14.39 and a 1 year high of $21.27. The firm’s fifty day simple moving average is $16.66 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $16.83.

About Prudential

Prudential plc, through its subsidiaries, provides life and health insurance, and asset management solutions to individuals in Asia and Africa. The company was founded in 1848 and is headquartered in Central, Hong Kong.