Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Price Target Raised to $95.00 at Wedbush

Key Points

• Wedbush raised its price target on Nektar to $95 from $70 and kept a "neutral" rating — implying roughly an 8.9% downside from the recent ~$104 share price — while the MarketBeat consensus remains a Moderate Buy with an average target of $137.13 and nine analysts rating the stock a Buy.
• Positive 52‑week topline results for rezpegaldesleukin in severe‑to‑very‑severe alopecia areata spurred a stock rally and higher targets from some analysts, but the company also announced a proposed $250 million public offering that could dilute existing shareholders.
• Multiple securities‑class‑action lawsuits have been filed, creating legal/headline risk, even as large institutional investors (AQR, Farallon, Two Sigma, etc.) have recently added substantial positions in the stock.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR - Get Free Report) had its price target raised by analysts at Wedbush from $70.00 to $95.00 in a research report issued on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm currently has a "neutral" rating on the biopharmaceutical company's stock. Wedbush's price target would indicate a potential downside of 8.92% from the stock's current price.

NKTR has been the topic of a number of other reports. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Nektar Therapeutics from a "sell" rating to a "hold" rating in a report on Saturday, April 11th. BTIG Research increased their target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $151.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday. B. Riley Financial reissued a "buy" rating and set a $150.00 target price (up from $105.00) on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Piper Sandler restated an "overweight" rating and set a $105.00 price objective on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings reaffirmed a "sell (e+)" rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Monday, December 29th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $137.13.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Up 3.9%

Nektar Therapeutics stock opened at $104.30 on Tuesday. Nektar Therapeutics has a twelve month low of $7.99 and a twelve month high of $109.00. The company's 50-day moving average price is $73.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.59. The stock has a market cap of $2.99 billion, a P/E ratio of -10.30 and a beta of 1.16.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR - Get Free Report) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) EPS for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($2.69) by $0.91. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative net margin of 297.07% and a negative return on equity of 380.32%. The company had revenue of $21.81 million for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $10.44 million. Equities analysts anticipate that Nektar Therapeutics will post -10.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Nektar Therapeutics

In other Nektar Therapeutics news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total value of $30,879.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 75,489 shares of the company's stock, valued at $5,510,697. This trade represents a 0.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link. 3.71% of the stock is owned by corporate insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nektar Therapeutics

A number of institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKTR. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 336.9% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,640,851 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $2,463,000 after acquiring an additional 2,807,595 shares during the last quarter. Farallon Capital Management LLC purchased a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter worth $45,008,000. Two Seas Capital LP bought a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at $31,506,000. Prosight Management LP purchased a new stake in Nektar Therapeutics during the fourth quarter valued at about $23,450,000. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP raised its position in Nektar Therapeutics by 446.9% during the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 434,237 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock valued at $24,708,000 after purchasing an additional 354,842 shares in the last quarter. 75.88% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Key Nektar Therapeutics News

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

• Positive Sentiment: 52‑week topline results show deepening responses and favorable safety for rezpegaldesleukin in severe‑to‑very‑severe alopecia areata; company says results support moving rezpeg into late‑stage development. 52‑Week Topline Results PR Newswire
• Positive Sentiment: Market and media reaction amplified the move: outlets reported a sharp intraday rally after the data and the company hosted a conference call to discuss 52‑week topline results. IBTimes Article
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts responded bullishly — BTIG and HC Wainwright raised price targets (to $178 and $185, respectively), increasing upside estimates and reinforcing buy ratings. Benzinga Coverage
• Neutral Sentiment: Nektar announced a proposed underwritten public offering of $250M of common stock (and pre‑funded warrants to some investors) — provides cash for development but may dilute existing shareholders depending on deal terms. Public Offering PR Newswire
• Negative Sentiment: Several law firms have filed or solicited investors for securities‑class‑action lawsuits alleging misstatements relating to the Feb–Dec 2025 period; multiple notices remind investors of a May 5, 2026 lead‑plaintiff deadline — this legal activity can create headline risk and potential liability. Shareholder Alert PR Newswire
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple additional firms (Bernstein Liebhard, Rosen, Faruqi, Levi & Korsinsky, Schall, DJS, Bronstein, etc.) are soliciting claims or reporting filings — the proliferation of suits increases legal and reputational uncertainty. GlobeNewswire - Bernstein Liebhard

About Nektar Therapeutics

Nektar Therapeutics NASDAQ: NKTR is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to discovering and developing novel drug candidates through its proprietary chemistry and immunology platforms. The company focuses on polymer conjugate technology, which enables the creation of longer-acting versions of existing drugs, and on T-cell modulatory therapies aimed at harnessing the body's immune system to treat cancer and other serious diseases.

Nektar's product portfolio and pipeline include a range of clinical-stage and partnered programs.

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