Maplight Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MPLT) CEO Sells 10,472 Shares

Key Points

• CEO Christopher Kroeger sold 10,472 shares on May 5 at an average price of $28.20 for $295,310.40 under a pre‑arranged Rule 10b5‑1 plan, leaving him with 1,604,521 shares (a 0.65% reduction) valued at about $45.25M.
• Shares traded up ~4% to $29.04 amid intraday volume of ~268K; the stock's 50‑day moving average is $22.60 and its 12‑month range is $12.24–$33.28, with a market cap near $1.24B.
• The company posted a Q1 EPS miss (‑$2.47 vs. ‑$1.05), while analysts are mixed but generally positive (average rating "Moderate Buy" and target ~$34.43) and several institutions, including Goldman Sachs, have recently built stakes.

Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:MPLT - Get Free Report) CEO Christopher Kroeger sold 10,472 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, May 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.20, for a total transaction of $295,310.40. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 1,604,521 shares of the company's stock, valued at $45,247,492.20. The trade was a 0.65% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. 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 midday trading on Wednesday, hitting $29.04. 267,979 shares of the company's stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 342,018. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $22.60. Maplight Therapeutics, Inc. has a twelve month low of $12.24 and a twelve month high of $33.28. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.24 billion and a P/E ratio of -0.73.

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

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

Several equities analysts have recently commented on MPLT shares. Wall Street Zen cut Maplight Therapeutics from a "hold" rating to a "sell" rating in a research note on Saturday, March 21st. Canaccord Genuity Group initiated coverage on Maplight Therapeutics in a research note on Thursday, March 19th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $35.00 target price for the company. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a report on Tuesday, April 7th. They set a "buy" rating for the company. Needham & Company LLC began coverage on shares of Maplight Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, April 8th. They issued a "buy" rating and a $37.00 price target on the stock. Finally, HC Wainwright initiated coverage on Maplight Therapeutics in a report on Monday. They set a "buy" rating and a $45.00 price target on the stock. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, seven have issued a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Maplight Therapeutics currently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average price target of $34.43.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of large investors have recently modified their holdings of MPLT. Strs Ohio bought a new stake in shares of Maplight Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at about $53,000. Blue Owl Capital Holdings LP bought a new position in Maplight Therapeutics in the 4th quarter valued at about $5,745,000. Geode Capital Management LLC acquired a new position in Maplight Therapeutics during the 4th quarter valued at about $6,835,000. Seven Grand Managers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Maplight Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth about $1,756,000. Finally, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. bought a new stake in shares of Maplight Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth about $34,026,000.

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

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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