Vanda Pharmaceuticals Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NASDAQ:VNDA)

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VNDA) was the target of some unusual options trading activity on Monday. Traders purchased 13,610 call options on the stock. This is an increase of approximately 596% compared to the typical volume of 1,955 call options.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 41.5%

Shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $8.15 on Tuesday. The stock has a market capitalization of $481.75 million, a P/E ratio of -2.18 and a beta of 0.62. Vanda Pharmaceuticals has a 52-week low of $3.81 and a 52-week high of $9.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a quick ratio of 2.38 and a current ratio of 2.39. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $7.35 and its 200 day simple moving average is $5.79.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VNDA) last released its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, February 11th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($2.39) earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.18) by ($0.21). Vanda Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 102.02% and a negative return on equity of 23.85%. The business had revenue of $57.22 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $59.28 million. As a group, research analysts anticipate that Vanda Pharmaceuticals will post -1.12 EPS for the current year.

Institutional Trading of Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of VNDA. Torren Management LLC bought a new position in Vanda Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter valued at approximately $25,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. boosted its stake in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 456.6% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 6,495 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $32,000 after purchasing an additional 5,328 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC grew its holdings in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 424.6% during the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,359 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $44,000 after purchasing an additional 7,575 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP purchased a new position in Vanda Pharmaceuticals in the 3rd quarter worth $53,000. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC purchased a new position in Vanda Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter worth $69,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 88.14% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Here are the key news stories impacting Vanda Pharmaceuticals this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FDA approval of BYSANTI expands Vanda’s psychiatry franchise and is the primary catalyst for the stock gain; company expects a commercial launch in Q3 2026 and says BYSANTI is a new chemical entity with regulatory/patent protections. QuiverQuant: Vanda surges as FDA approves BYSANTI
• Positive Sentiment: This is Vanda’s second new drug approval in under two months (after NEREUS in Dec 2025), which supports revenue diversification and investor optimism about multiple near-term product launches. Blockonomi: VNDA jumps after second approval
• Positive Sentiment: Street reaction: fresh bullish analyst commentary (HC Wainwright buy today; other firms have positive ratings/targets) and heavy call-option activity indicate speculative and institutional interest that can amplify upside. QuiverQuant: analyst ratings and targets
• Neutral Sentiment: Widespread media and premarket coverage (Benzinga, MSN, Seeking Alpha, etc.) is driving attention and volume; that coverage helps liquidity but can also magnify short-term volatility. Benzinga: FDA approval coverage
• Negative Sentiment: Analysts and commentators caution BYSANTI may not be highly differentiated from Fanapt (similar active molecules); Seeking Alpha highlights questions about true market share gains and whether BYSANTI meaningfully expands long-term revenue beyond expectations. Seeking Alpha: caution on differentiation
• Negative Sentiment: Financial/operational risks: Vanda reported a sizable net loss in 2025, missed Q4 revenue/earnings expectations, and warns of higher cash burn in 2026 — raising potential funding needs that could dilute shareholders or pressure the stock if revenues take longer to materialize.
• Negative Sentiment: Some institutional activity shows sizeable position changes (large trims by several funds in recent filings), which indicates mixed conviction among larger holders and a potential source of selling pressure if sentiment cools. QuiverQuant: institutional moves

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several research analysts have weighed in on the company. Wall Street Zen cut Vanda Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, February 14th. UBS Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Jefferies Financial Group increased their price target on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals from $5.00 to $7.50 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 31st. Cantor Fitzgerald restated an “overweight” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, HC Wainwright lifted their price objective on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals from $22.00 to $24.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Four analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Vanda Pharmaceuticals currently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average target price of $14.13.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and rare diseases. The company’s research and development efforts center on sleep-wake regulation, mood disorders, and movement disorders. Vanda’s mission is to address unmet medical needs by advancing novel molecules through clinical trials and regulatory review.

Vanda’s flagship commercial product is Hetlioz (tasimelteon), a melatonin receptor agonist approved by the U.S.