SCHEDULE: Citadel Entities Disclose 4.9% Stake in Pliant Therapeutics
Beneficial Ownership Disclosure
Citadel Advisors and affiliated entities, including Kenneth Griffin, have disclosed a collective 4.9% passive beneficial ownership in Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. common stock.
Summary
- Citadel Advisors LLC, Citadel Advisors Holdings LP, Citadel GP LLC, Citadel Securities LLC, Citadel Securities Group LP, Citadel Securities GP LLC, and Kenneth Griffin (collectively, the "Reporting Persons") have filed a Schedule 13G.
- The filing discloses beneficial ownership of common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the "Shares"), of PLIANT THERAPEUTICS, INC.
- The event requiring this filing occurred on January 14, 2026.
- Kenneth Griffin is deemed to beneficially own 2,991,915 Shares, representing 4.9% of the class outstanding.
- Citadel Advisors LLC, Citadel Advisors Holdings LP, and Citadel GP LLC each beneficially own 2,099,798 Shares, representing 3.4% of the class.
- Citadel Securities LLC beneficially owns 863,391 Shares, representing 1.4% of the class.
- Citadel Securities Group LP and Citadel Securities GP LLC each beneficially own 892,117 Shares, representing 1.5% of the class.
- All beneficial ownership is reported with shared voting and shared dispositive power; no reporting person holds sole voting or sole dispositive power.
- The percentages are based on 61,449,385 Shares outstanding as of November 1, 2025, according to the issuer's Form 10-Q filed on November 6, 2025.
- The securities were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer.
Sentiment
Score: 5
Explanation: A standard Schedule 13G filing disclosing passive beneficial ownership, providing no explicit positive or negative sentiment regarding the issuer's performance or outlook.
Positives
- A prominent investment firm, Citadel, and its affiliates, including Kenneth Griffin, have taken a significant, albeit passive, stake in Pliant Therapeutics, which could be viewed as a vote of confidence in the company's long-term prospects.
Industry Context
This filing represents a standard disclosure of a passive investment by a major financial institution in a publicly traded company. It does not provide specific insights into Pliant Therapeutics' operational performance or the broader biotechnology industry trends, but rather reflects an investment decision by Citadel within its portfolio management strategy.
Stakeholder Impact
- Shareholders: Disclosure of a significant institutional investor's stake provides transparency regarding the ownership structure and may influence investor sentiment.
Key Dates
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 2023-10-13 | Power of attorney for Seth Levy to sign on behalf of Kenneth Griffin was filed as an attachment to a Schedule 13G by Citadel Advisors LLC for Allakos Inc. |
| 2025-11-01 | Date as of which 61,449,385 Shares of Pliant Therapeutics were outstanding, per the issuer's Form 10-Q. |
| 2025-11-06 | Date Pliant Therapeutics filed its Form 10-Q, reporting shares outstanding. |
| 2026-01-14 | Date of event which required the filing of this Schedule 13G statement. |
| 2026-01-22 | Date of filing of this Schedule 13G statement and the Joint Filing Agreement. |
Keywords
Pliant Therapeutics, Citadel, Kenneth Griffin, Schedule 13G, Beneficial Ownership, Common Stock, Investment, Biotechnology, Passive Investment
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