Christopher Kroeger Sells 15,571 Shares of Maplight Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MPLT) Stock

Key Points

• CEO Christopher Kroeger sold 15,571 shares on May 4 at an average price of $27.96 for $435,365.16 under a pre‑arranged Rule 10b5‑1 plan, trimming his stake by 0.95% to 1,614,993 shares (≈$45.16M).
• Shares traded up about 4% to $29.04 (volume ~267,979) with a market cap near $1.24B, a 50‑day moving average of $22.60 and a 52‑week range of $12.24–$33.28.
• Maplight posted a sizable Q1 EPS miss (‑$2.47 vs. consensus ‑$1.05); analysts collectively rate the stock a Moderate Buy (consensus target ~$34.43) with bullish notes like HC Wainwright’s $45 target but also warnings about widening losses and ongoing cash‑burn risk.

Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MPLT - Get Free Report) CEO Christopher Kroeger sold 15,571 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $27.96, for a total value of $435,365.16. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,614,993 shares in the company, valued at $45,155,204.28. The trade was a 0.95% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Maplight Therapeutics Trading Up 4.0%

Shares of NASDAQ MPLT traded up $1.12 during trading hours on Wednesday, reaching $29.04. The stock had a trading volume of 267,979 shares, compared to its average volume of 342,018. The firm has a market cap of $1.24 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.73. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $22.60. Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. has a 52-week low of $12.24 and a 52-week high of $33.28.

Maplight Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MPLT - Get Free Report) last posted its earnings results on Thursday, March 26th. The company reported ($2.47) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts' consensus estimates of ($1.05) by ($1.42). As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. will post -3.96 EPS for the current year.

Trending Headlines about Maplight Therapeutics

Here are the key news stories impacting Maplight Therapeutics this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Needham reaffirmed its "Buy" rating on MPLT, signaling continued analyst conviction that the shares have upside. Needham Reaffirms Buy
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright initiated/updated coverage with a "Buy" rating and a $45 price target (roughly mid‑50% upside from recent levels), which can attract buyers and support the rally. Many outlets reported the new coverage and target. HC Wainwright Coverage & Target
• Neutral Sentiment: Morningstar and market quote pages show current trading context (price, volume, 50‑day moving average) that traders use to gauge technical support/resistance. Use these pages for up‑to‑date quotes. Morningstar Quote
• Negative Sentiment: HC Wainwright's detailed forecasts also project larger net losses over 2026–2027 (FY2026 EPS ~ -$4.34; FY2027 EPS ~ -$5.25) and quarterly losses through 2027 — data that underscores continued cash‑burn and execution risk for a clinical‑stage biotech. This raises downside risk if clinical or financing progress stalls. Analyst Estimates
• Negative Sentiment: Recent reported results included a sizable Q1 EPS miss (reported -$2.47 vs. consensus -$1.05), which remains a reminder of earnings volatility and could pressure sentiment if follow‑up data or guidance are weak. Recent Earnings Miss

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on the company. TD Cowen began coverage on Maplight Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, April 7th. They set a "buy" rating on the stock. Needham & Company LLC assumed coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. They set a "buy" rating and a $37.00 price target for the company. Weiss Ratings began coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a report on Thursday, January 22nd. They issued a "sell (e)" rating for the company. HC Wainwright assumed coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a research note on Monday. They issued a "buy" rating and a $45.00 price target for the company. Finally, Canaccord Genuity Group assumed coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a research report on Thursday, March 19th. They set a "buy" rating and a $35.00 price objective for the company. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have assigned a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company's stock. According to MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $34.43.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Maplight Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in MPLT. Strs Ohio acquired a new stake in Maplight Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at $53,000. Bank of New York Mellon Corp grew its stake in shares of Maplight Therapeutics by 10.1% in the 1st quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 39,465 shares of the company's stock worth $802,000 after purchasing an additional 3,608 shares during the last quarter. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey acquired a new position in shares of Maplight Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth approximately $70,000. New York State Common Retirement Fund purchased a new position in shares of Maplight Therapeutics in the fourth quarter worth approximately $93,000. Finally, MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Maplight Therapeutics during the fourth quarter worth approximately $172,000.

Maplight Therapeutics Company Profile

We are a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on improving the lives of patients suffering from debilitating central nervous system, or CNS, disorders. We were founded by globally recognized leaders in psychiatry and neuroscience research to address the lack of circuit-specific pharmacotherapies available for patients. Our discovery platform holds the potential to fill this void by identifying neural circuits causally linked to disease and targeting those circuits for therapeutic modulation.

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