Short Interest in Oportun Financial Co. (NASDAQ:OPRT) Drops By 16.2%

Oportun Financial Co. (NASDAQ:OPRT) experienced a significant decline in short interest during January. As of January 15th, the short interest reported was 145,800 shares. This reflects a 16.2% decrease compared to the short interest of 173,900 shares recorded on December 31st. Given the average daily trading volume of 180,200 shares, the current short-interest ratio stands at 0.8 days.

Insider Activity

In related developments, Oportun Financial's CEO, Raul Vazquez, purchased 8,844 shares of the company on November 27th at an average price of $3.86 per share, totaling approximately $34,137.84. Following this transaction, the CEO's total shares held increased to 1,257,328, valued at around $4,853,286.08, which is an increase of 0.71% in his holdings. This purchase was reported in a legal filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Additionally, Director R. Neil Williams acquired 25,000 shares on December 11th at an average price of $3.87 per share, amounting to about $96,750.00. After this acquisition, he now owns 140,338 shares valued at approximately $543,108.06, representing a significant increase of 21.68% in his stake. Over the past 90 days, there has been insider buying activity totaling 41,264 shares at a value of $159,826. Overall, insiders now hold 9.30% of Oportun Financial's stock.

Institutional Investors' Positions

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have also adjusted their positions in Oportun Financial recently. For instance, Telos Capital Management Inc. established a new position in the company worth roughly $52,000 during the fourth quarter, while Connor Clark & Lunn Investment Management Ltd. also acquired a new position in the third quarter for a similar amount. SkyView Investment Advisors LLC increased their stake in the company by 59.3% in the third quarter, now holding 107,500 shares valued at $302,000 after a purchase of 40,000 additional shares. Empowered Funds LLC increased their position by 5.4%, now owning 110,620 shares worth approximately $311,000 post acquisition of an additional 5,628 shares. Furthermore, Renaissance Technologies LLC raised its stake by 16.1% in the second quarter, now controlling 227,000 shares valued at $658,000. Presently, institutional investors and hedge funds own 82.70% of Oportun Financial's stock.

Stock Performance

On Friday, shares of NASDAQ:OPRT rose by 12.2%, gaining $0.50 to reach $4.60. The trading volume on that day was 369,264 shares, surpassing the average volume of 183,892 shares. The company's moving averages show a 50-day average price of $3.90 and a 200-day average price of $3.23. Oportun Financial has a market capitalization of approximately $165.51 million, a P/E ratio of -1.39, and a beta of 1.15. The stock has experienced a 52-week low of $2.05 and a high of $4.62 during the same period.

About Oportun Financial

Oportun Financial Corporation offers a range of financial services, including personal loans and credit cards. The company serves customers through various channels, including online, phone, and retail locations as well as Lending as a Service partner locations. Founded in 2005, Oportun is based in San Carlos, California.

Investment Consideration

Before making any investment decisions regarding Oportun Financial, it's essential to consider various market evaluations and recommendations. Despite the current rating of 'Moderate Buy' for Oportun Financial, some leading analysts suggest alternative stocks may present better investment opportunities.

Oportun, Finance, Investing