AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU) Sees Large Increase in Short Interest

AngloGold Ashanti plc (NYSE:AU) saw a large increase in short interest in the month of July. As of July 15th, there was short interest totalling 5,050,000 shares, an increase of 25.0% from the June 30th total of 4,040,000 shares. Based on an average trading volume of 1,780,000 shares, the days-to-cover ratio is currently 2.8 days.

AngloGold Ashanti Price Performance

Shares of NYSE:AU traded up $0.01 during midday trading on Friday, reaching $27.11. 1,020,777 shares of the company were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,300,701. The business’s fifty day moving average is $25.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $22.38. AngloGold Ashanti has a one year low of $14.91 and a one year high of $30.09.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the stock. Vanguard Group Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of AngloGold Ashanti during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $245,342,000. Blue Trust Inc. raised its stake in AngloGold Ashanti by 132.0% during the fourth quarter. Blue Trust Inc. now owns 4,023 shares of the mining company’s stock valued at $75,000 after purchasing an additional 2,289 shares in the last quarter. International Assets Investment Management LLC bought a new position in AngloGold Ashanti during the fourth quarter valued at $16,260,000. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank grew its stake in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 0.8% in the 4th quarter. Zurcher Kantonalbank Zurich Cantonalbank now owns 201,558 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $3,767,000 after buying an additional 1,644 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Euro Pacific Asset Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of AngloGold Ashanti by 29.6% in the 4th quarter. Euro Pacific Asset Management LLC now owns 74,974 shares of the mining company’s stock worth $1,402,000 after buying an additional 17,127 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 36.09% of the company’s stock.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

AU has been the topic of a number of recent analyst reports. Scotiabank raised their target price on shares of AngloGold Ashanti from $22.00 to $26.00 and gave the stock a “sector perform” rating in a research note on Thursday, May 23rd. HSBC cut shares of AngloGold Ashanti from a “hold” rating to a “reduce” rating in a research note on Friday, April 19th. Finally, JPMorgan Chase & Co. cut their price target on AngloGold Ashanti from $33.00 to $32.00 and set an “overweight” rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, July 3rd. One research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, four have given a hold rating and two have issued a buy rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and a consensus target price of $24.50.

About AngloGold Ashanti

AngloGold Ashanti plc operates as a gold mining company in Africa, Australia, and the Americas. The company primarily explores for gold, as well as produces silver and sulphuric acid as by-products. Its flagship property is a 100% owned Geita mine located in the Lake Victoria goldfields of the Mwanza region in north-western Tanzania.