Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IONS) Stock Has Average Price Target of $89.20 According to Brokerages

Key Points

• Analyst consensus remains bullish: Twenty-two brokerages rate Ionis Pharmaceuticals “Moderate Buy,” with 17 buys, four holds and one sell. The average 12-month price target is $89.20.
• Clinical results strengthened the pipeline: Ionis and Roche reported positive Phase 3 results for sefaxersen in IgA nephropathy, while partnered drug ulefnersen also met its Phase 3 endpoint in ALS, potentially supporting future milestones and royalties.
• Shares remain under pressure despite the positive developments: IONS opened at $43.81, near its 52-week low of $43.01 and well below its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. Commentary continues to flag valuation concerns after a roughly 45% year-to-date decline.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IONS - Get Free Report) has received an average rating of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-two brokerages that are currently covering the company, Marketbeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, four have assigned a hold recommendation and seventeen have assigned a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12-month price objective among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $89.20.

A number of research firms have recently issued reports on IONS. Needham & Company LLC reaffirmed a "buy" rating and set a $86.00 price objective on shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals in a report on Friday, September 4th. The Goldman Sachs Group reduced their target price on Ionis Pharmaceuticals from $69.00 to $56.00 and set a "neutral" rating on the stock in a research note on Tuesday, September 8th. Jefferies Financial Group lowered their price target on Ionis Pharmaceuticals from $113.00 to $90.00 and set a "buy" rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, July 9th. JPMorgan Chase & Co. dropped their price target on Ionis Pharmaceuticals from $76.00 to $70.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a research note on Tuesday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company cut their price objective on Ionis Pharmaceuticals from $100.00 to $95.00 and set an "overweight" rating for the company in a report on Thursday, July 30th.

Key Stories Impacting Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Here are the key news stories impacting Ionis Pharmaceuticals this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Ionis and partner Roche reported that the Phase 3 IMAgINATION study of investigational sefaxersen in IgA nephropathy met its primary endpoint. The treatment produced statistically significant and clinically meaningful proteinuria reduction versus placebo at 37 weeks, supporting the potential for a major partnered kidney-disease product. Ionis announces positive interim data from partner Roche’s Phase 3 IMAgINATION study in IgA nephropathy
• Positive Sentiment: Additional coverage highlighted positive late-stage results for two partnered medicines: sefaxersen reduced proteinuria in IgA nephropathy, while ulefnersen met its Phase 3 endpoint in ALS. The results strengthen Ionis’s partnered pipeline and potential royalty and milestone opportunities. Ionis Delivers Positive Late-Stage Results for Two Partnered Drugs
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright reaffirmed a Buy rating and set a $100 price target, implying substantial upside from recent trading levels. Canaccord Genuity also maintained its Buy recommendation, indicating continued analyst confidence in Ionis’s drug-development platform.
• Neutral Sentiment: Reported short interest was listed at zero shares and a zero-day short-interest ratio. This unusual figure is unlikely to provide a meaningful signal and may reflect a reporting or data issue rather than a genuine change in investor positioning.
• Negative Sentiment: A market commentary argues that IONS still looks expensive even after a roughly 45% year-to-date decline. That valuation concern, along with the stock’s substantial fall below its moving averages, may be limiting the market’s response to the positive clinical news. Ionis Pharmaceuticals Stock Looks Pricey On Its 45% YTD Slide

Ionis Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 0.3%

Shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $43.81 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 3.07, a current ratio of 7.89 and a quick ratio of 7.73. Ionis Pharmaceuticals has a 1 year low of $43.01 and a 1 year high of $86.74. The firm has a market cap of $7.28 billion, a PE ratio of -12.66 and a beta of 0.42. The company has a 50 day simple moving average of $55.12 and a two-hundred day simple moving average of $67.40.

Insider Transactions at Ionis Pharmaceuticals

In other Ionis Pharmaceuticals news, EVP Holly Kordasiewicz sold 362 shares of the company's stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $84.30, for a total value of $30,516.60. Following the completion of the sale, the executive vice president owned 22,096 shares of the company's stock, valued at $1,862,692.80. This represents a 1.61% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Also, Director Allene Diaz sold 10,111 shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, July 7th. The stock was sold at an average price of $85.42, for a total transaction of $863,681.62. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 3,811 shares in the company, valued at $325,535.62. This trade represents a 72.63% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The transaction was executed under a pre-arranged Rule 10b5-1 trading plan. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 31,009 shares of company stock worth $2,638,797. 1.81% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Several hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in IONS. Cassaday & Co Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals during the first quarter valued at about $30,000. Allworth Financial LP bought a new stake in shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter valued at about $41,000. Silvant Capital Management LLC purchased a new stake in Ionis Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter valued at about $43,000. Hilton Head Capital Partners LLC purchased a new stake in Ionis Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter valued at about $47,000. Finally, Archer Investment Corp bought a new position in Ionis Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $48,000. 93.86% of the stock is owned by institutional investors.

About Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc is a biotechnology company that discovers and develops medicines using antisense technology, which is designed to target RNA and influence the production of disease-related proteins. The company focuses on neurological, cardiovascular, metabolic and other serious diseases for which there remains a significant unmet medical need.

Ionis has developed several approved therapies, including SPINRAZA (nusinersen) for spinal muscular atrophy, QALSODY (tofersen) for a form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, TEGSEDI (inotersen) for hereditary transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis and WAYLIVRA (volanesorsen) for familial chylomicronemia syndrome in certain markets.

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