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

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) had its target price hoisted by equities researchers at Wedbush from $70.00 to $95.00 in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “neutral” rating on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock. Wedbush’s price target indicates a potential downside of 8.92% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other analysts have also weighed in on NKTR. Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Nektar Therapeutics from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, April 11th. 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 note on Monday, February 23rd. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Friday, March 13th. HC Wainwright raised their price objective on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, BTIG Research upped their price target on Nektar Therapeutics from $151.00 to $178.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday. Nine research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the stock has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $137.13.

Nektar Therapeutics Trading Up 3.9%

NASDAQ NKTR opened at $104.30 on Tuesday. The stock has a 50-day moving average of $73.51 and a 200-day moving average of $58.59. Nektar Therapeutics has a 1-year low of $7.99 and a 1-year high of $109.00. The firm has a market cap of $2.99 billion, a PE ratio of -10.30 and a beta of 1.16.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) earnings per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.69) by $0.91. The firm had revenue of $21.81 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.44 million. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative return on equity of 380.32% and a negative net margin of 297.07%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Nektar Therapeutics will post -10.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity at Nektar Therapeutics

In related news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total value of $30,879.00. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 75,489 shares in the company, valued at $5,510,697. The trade was a 0.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available at this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 3.71% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in the company. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 336.9% during the first 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 in the last quarter. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $68,000. Rhumbline Advisers boosted its stake in Nektar Therapeutics by 23.3% during the 1st quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 221,761 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $151,000 after purchasing an additional 41,948 shares during the last quarter. Marshall Wace LLP purchased a new stake in Nektar Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at $367,000. Finally, Headlands Technologies LLC bought a new stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter worth $65,000. Institutional investors own 75.88% of the company’s stock.

Nektar Therapeutics News Roundup

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

Nektar Therapeutics Company Profile

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.