Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:RARE) Sees Large Volume Increase After Analyst Upgrade

Key Points

• Citigroup raised Ultragenyx’s price target to $32 and maintained a Buy rating, prompting increased trading activity. The stock traded near $14.31, while analysts’ consensus rating remained “Moderate Buy” with an average target of $37.26.
• FDA approval of FAYUVI, Ultragenyx’s second gene-therapy approval, could create significant revenue potential, with a $3.95 million price per patient and shipments expected within 30–60 days. Analysts including Canaccord Genuity and Cantor Fitzgerald raised their price targets following the approval.
• Despite the positive catalyst, the launch faces reimbursement, treatment-center access, and safety uncertainties, while a failed Angelman syndrome trial remains an overhang. The company continues to report losses, although quarterly revenue rose 28.5% year over year and earnings exceeded estimates.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:RARE - Get Free Report) shares saw an uptick in trading volume on Friday after Citigroup raised their price target on the stock from $31.00 to $32.00. Citigroup currently has a buy rating on the stock. Approximately 2,520,048 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, a decline of 3% from the previous session's volume of 2,590,477 shares.The stock last traded at $14.3060 and had previously closed at $14.50.

Several other brokerages have also commented on RARE. William Blair lowered shares of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical from an "outperform" rating to a "market perform" rating in a research report on Thursday, September 3rd. Morgan Stanley raised their price target on Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical from $67.00 to $74.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research report on Friday, August 21st. Evercore downgraded shares of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical from an "outperform" rating to an "in-line" rating and set a $16.00 price objective on the stock. in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. lowered Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical from an "overweight" rating to a "neutral" rating and decreased their price target for the stock from $80.00 to $36.00 in a research note on Thursday, September 3rd. Finally, Weiss Ratings upgraded Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical from a "sell (e+)" rating to a "sell (d-)" rating in a report on Thursday, July 9th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, ten have given a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" and a consensus target price of $37.26.

Key Headlines Impacting Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical

Here are the key news stories impacting Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FAYUVI’s approval represents Ultragenyx’s second gene-therapy approval and sixth FDA approval overall. The company expects shipments to qualified treatment centers within 30–60 days and will provide patient-access assistance through its UltraCare program. Ultragenyx Announces Approval of FAYUVI
• Positive Sentiment: Clinical data showed a durable treatment effect and a 23.5-point cognitive-score advantage versus a natural-history cohort, supporting the potential for meaningful clinical benefit. Ultragenyx also received a Priority Review Voucher that could have strategic or financial value. FDA approves Ultragenyx gene therapy
• Positive Sentiment: Canaccord Genuity raised its price target from $37 to $39 and maintained a Buy rating, while Cantor Fitzgerald increased its target from $33 to $39 and assigned an Overweight rating. These revisions indicate improved analyst expectations following the approval.
• Positive Sentiment: The stock’s recent advance occurred on above-average volume, while favorable earnings-estimate revisions may support additional near-term momentum. Ultragenyx stock and earnings estimate revisions
• Neutral Sentiment: Ultragenyx set FAYUVI’s price at $3.95 million, creating substantial revenue potential per patient but also making insurance coverage, reimbursement, and treatment-center access critical to the launch.
• Negative Sentiment: FAYUVI carries important safety risks, including elevated liver enzymes, thrombocytopenia, infusion reactions, and a potential malignancy risk. Long-term commercial adoption and safety remain uncertainties.
• Negative Sentiment: A previously reported failed Angelman syndrome trial and a law-firm investigation into potential investor claims remain overhangs. In addition, reported insider activity consisted entirely of sales over the past six months.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical

Hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical in the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $355,746,000. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. lifted its position in shares of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical by 1,030.4% in the first quarter. Assenagon Asset Management S.A. now owns 2,257,671 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $47,298,000 after purchasing an additional 2,057,951 shares in the last quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC lifted its position in shares of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical by 19.6% in the fourth quarter. GW&K Investment Management LLC now owns 1,375,407 shares of the biopharmaceutical company's stock worth $31,634,000 after purchasing an additional 225,238 shares in the last quarter. Norges Bank acquired a new stake in shares of Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical during the fourth quarter worth approximately $29,004,000. Finally, Bank of America Corp DE purchased a new position in Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical during the second quarter valued at approximately $38,347,000. 97.67% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Stock Performance

The stock has a market cap of $1.41 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -2.45 and a beta of 0.31. The company's 50 day simple moving average is $24.26 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $24.49.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ:RARE - Get Free Report) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, August 4th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.90) earnings per share for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($1.22) by $0.32. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical had a negative net margin of 81.79% and a negative return on equity of 1,024.42%. The firm had revenue of $214.00 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $183.08 million. During the same quarter last year, the firm earned ($1.17) earnings per share. The company's revenue for the quarter was up 28.5% on a year-over-year basis. On average, equities research analysts predict that Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. will post -3.98 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Company Profile

Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing treatments for rare and ultra-rare diseases. The company's work includes therapies for genetic, metabolic and skeletal disorders, with an emphasis on conditions that have limited or no effective treatment options.

Ultragenyx's marketed products include Crysvita (burosumab), used to treat certain forms of X-linked hypophosphatemia and tumor-induced osteomalacia; Dojolvi (triheptanoin), a medical food for long-chain fatty acid oxidation disorders; and Evkeeza (evinacumab), a treatment for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

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