Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Hits New 1-Year High Following Better-Than-Expected Earnings

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Friday after the company announced better than expected quarterly earnings. The stock traded as high as $77.00 and last traded at $73.6150, with a volume of 441428 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $70.36.

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 for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.44 million. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative net margin of 297.07% and a negative return on equity of 638.32%.

Key Stories Impacting Nektar Therapeutics

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations: EPS loss of ($1.78) topped consensus and revenue of $21.8M substantially exceeded estimates; management highlighted promising clinical data and near-term plans for rezpeg Phase III studies in atopic dermatitis (timing noted for Q2 2026). Nektar Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings call and analyst coverage reinforced the upside: call transcripts and press coverage flagged promising Phase 2b/clinical takeaways that appear to be driving bullish investor sentiment and volume today. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Balance-sheet snapshot: cash and marketable securities were $245.8M at year-end (down from $269.1M a year earlier) — provides runway but still limited given development-stage spending; watch cash burn guidance and upcoming Phase III cost needs. Financial Results / Cash Position
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have filed or announced securities-fraud investigations and class action notices covering the Feb 26–Dec 15, 2025 period; several firms are soliciting lead-plaintiff motions with a May 5, 2026 deadline — litigation could lead to legal costs, management distraction and settlement risk. Rosen Law Firm Notice Pomerantz Filing

Analyst Ratings Changes

A number of equities analysts have issued reports on the company. B. Riley Financial reiterated a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price (up from $105.00) on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Citigroup began coverage on Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. They issued a “buy” rating and a $102.00 price target on the stock. Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and set a $105.00 price objective on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Monday, December 29th. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, Nektar Therapeutics currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $133.43.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total transaction of $30,879.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 75,489 shares in the company, valued at $5,510,697. This represents a 0.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available at the SEC website. Also, insider Jonathan Zalevsky sold 3,867 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.67, for a total value of $137,935.89. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider owned 21,354 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $761,697.18. The trade was a 15.33% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 4,470 shares of company stock valued at $181,955. 5.25% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. BNP Paribas Financial Markets grew its stake in Nektar Therapeutics by 93.8% in the third quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 434 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG raised its stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 0.8% during the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 90,743 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $3,837,000 after purchasing an additional 743 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd boosted its holdings in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 51.3% in the 4th quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 2,541 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $107,000 after buying an additional 862 shares during the last quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC boosted its holdings in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 70.6% in the 3rd quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 2,602 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $148,000 after buying an additional 1,077 shares during the last quarter. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd grew its stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 22.0% in the fourth quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 7,196 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $304,000 after buying an additional 1,299 shares in the last quarter. 75.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Up 4.1%

The stock’s fifty day moving average is $53.50 and its two-hundred day moving average is $53.06. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.49 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -7.18 and a beta of 1.17.

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.