Christopher Kroeger Sells 23,701 Shares of Maplight Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MPLT) Stock

Key Points

• CEO Christopher Kroeger sold 23,701 shares of Maplight Therapeutics on May 6 at an average price of $28.76, yielding about $681,641 and reducing his stake by 1.48% to 1,580,820 shares; the sale was executed under a pre‑arranged Rule 10b5‑1 plan.
• Maplight reported a sizable Q1 EPS miss (‑$2.47 vs. consensus ‑$1.05), yet analyst coverage is mixed-to-positive with a MarketBeat consensus of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $34.43 (notable buy targets include HC Wainwright at $45 and Needham at $37).
• The shares traded up to $29.04 on the report, the stock has a market cap of about $1.24 billion, a 12‑month range of $12.24–$33.28, and a 50‑day moving average near $22.60, indicating recent upward momentum despite negative earnings.

Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MPLT - Get Free Report) CEO Christopher Kroeger sold 23,701 shares of the company's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, May 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $28.76, for a total value of $681,640.76. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,580,820 shares in the company, valued at approximately $45,464,383.20. The trade was a 1.48% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.

Maplight Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ MPLT traded up $1.12 during mid-day trading on Wednesday, hitting $29.04. The stock had a trading volume of 267,979 shares, compared to its average volume of 342,018. Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. has a twelve month low of $12.24 and a twelve month high of $33.28. The stock has a market cap of $1.24 billion and a price-to-earnings ratio of -0.73. The stock's 50 day moving average price is $22.60.

Maplight Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MPLT - Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 26th. The company reported ($2.47) EPS for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.05) by ($1.42). On average, equities research analysts expect that Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. will post -3.96 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have commented on MPLT shares. Needham & Company LLC started coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, April 8th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $37.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings began coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, January 22nd. They set a "sell (e)" rating on the stock. Wall Street Zen lowered shares of Maplight Therapeutics from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group began coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, March 19th. They set a "buy" rating and a $35.00 target price on the stock. Finally, HC Wainwright began coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a research note on Monday. They set a "buy" rating and a $45.00 target price on the stock. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have given a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Maplight Therapeutics currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $34.43.

Maplight Therapeutics News Summary

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

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of MPLT. Strs Ohio acquired a new position in shares of Maplight Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth about $53,000. Police & Firemen s Retirement System of New Jersey acquired a new stake in Maplight Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at about $70,000. New York State Common Retirement Fund acquired a new stake in Maplight Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at about $93,000. MetLife Investment Management LLC acquired a new stake in Maplight Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at about $172,000. Finally, Walleye Capital LLC acquired a new stake in Maplight Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at about $205,000.

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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