Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Rating Increased to Outperform at William Blair

William Blair upgraded shares of Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research note published on Tuesday morning, MarketBeat Ratings reports.

Several other research analysts also recently issued reports on the stock. Citigroup initiated coverage on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. They set a “buy” rating and a $102.00 price objective on the stock. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Monday, December 29th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. HC Wainwright increased their price objective on Nektar Therapeutics from $120.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, December 16th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Nektar Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Sunday, November 16th. Eight research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $119.86.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Performance

Nektar Therapeutics stock opened at $56.00 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $1.14 billion, a P/E ratio of -7.03 and a beta of 1.34. Nektar Therapeutics has a fifty-two week low of $6.45 and a fifty-two week high of $66.92. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $43.34 and a 200-day simple moving average of $45.96.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Nektar Therapeutics news, insider Jonathan Zalevsky sold 3,867 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.67, for a total transaction of $137,935.89. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 21,354 shares in the company, valued at approximately $761,697.18. The trade was a 15.33% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Mark Andrew Wilson sold 630 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.28, for a total transaction of $34,196.40. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 21,585 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,171,633.80. This represents a 2.84% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 7,861 shares of company stock worth $354,730. Corporate insiders own 3.71% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nektar Therapeutics

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the company. AQR Capital Management LLC increased its stake in Nektar Therapeutics by 336.9% in 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 purchasing an additional 2,807,595 shares in the last quarter. Farallon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter valued at $45,008,000. Two Sigma Investments LP increased its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 446.9% in the third quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 434,237 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $24,708,000 after buying an additional 354,842 shares in the last quarter. Emerald Advisers LLC acquired a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth $18,393,000. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group Inc. acquired a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth $17,252,000. Hedge funds and other 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: REZOLVE‑AD maintenance data show durable and new responses (high maintenance rates for EASI‑75 and vIGA‑AD 0/1, increases in EASI‑100 at week 52) and a favorable safety profile; management says results validate the T‑reg mechanism and support advancement to pivotal Phase 3. PR Newswire: Rezolve‑AD Maintenance Data
• Positive Sentiment: Management discussed topline maintenance results on a conference call and in a Seeking Alpha transcript, providing additional color that appears to have reassured investors about durability and both monthly and quarterly dosing options. Seeking Alpha: REZOLVE‑AD Transcript
• Positive Sentiment: Analysts moved bullish: BTIG and HC Wainwright raised price targets substantially (to $151 and $165, respectively) and William Blair upgraded NKTR to outperform — these notes amplify upside conviction and likely prompted buying. Benzinga: Analyst Coverage TickerReport: William Blair Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Wide media and market coverage (Tokenist, MarketWatch, MSN, Benzinga) has amplified visibility and momentum, contributing to heavy volume and large call option buying earlier in the session. Tokenist: Why NKTR Is Up
• Neutral Sentiment: Unusually large options activity (several thousand calls bought) and very high share volume indicate speculative positioning and short‑term momentum; this can amplify moves but also increase volatility. (No link)
• Neutral Sentiment: NKTR appeared on “top gainer” lists and trending stock stories, reflecting momentum rather than new fundamental change. InvestorIdeas: Top Gainer
• Negative Sentiment: Nektar announced a proposed $300M underwritten public offering of common stock (and pre‑funded warrants for some investors). That raises dilution risk and could cap gains unless used to fund Phase 3 programs or other value‑creating activities. PR Newswire: Proposed Public Offering

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.