Citigroup Issues Positive Forecast for Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Stock Price

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) had its price objective upped by Citigroup from $102.00 to $123.00 in a report published on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock.

A number of other equities research analysts have also recently commented on the company. Wall Street Zen cut Nektar Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research note on Sunday, November 16th. Jefferies Financial Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. HC Wainwright raised their target price on Nektar Therapeutics from $135.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. B. Riley Financial restated a “buy” rating and set a $150.00 target price (up from $105.00) on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $105.00 price target on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, January 26th. 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.com, the stock currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $136.43.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of NKTR stock opened at $72.21 on Monday. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $54.06 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $53.70. Nektar Therapeutics has a 52-week low of $6.45 and a 52-week high of $77.00. The stock has a market cap of $1.47 billion, a PE ratio of -7.08 and a beta of 1.16.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) EPS for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($2.69) by $0.91. The company had revenue of $21.81 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $10.44 million. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative net margin of 297.07% and a negative return on equity of 386.16%. As a group, sell-side analysts predict that Nektar Therapeutics will post -0.72 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Buying and Selling at Nektar Therapeutics

In related news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total transaction of $30,879.00. Following the sale, the chief executive officer owned 75,489 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,510,697. This trade represents a 0.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Jonathan Zalevsky sold 3,867 shares of the business’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 directly owned 21,354 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $761,697.18. The trade was a 15.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 4,470 shares of company stock worth $181,955 in the last ninety days. 3.71% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nektar Therapeutics

Institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the business. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its stake in Nektar Therapeutics by 93.8% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 434 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $25,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter valued at approximately $88,000. Bessemer Group Inc. lifted its stake in Nektar Therapeutics by 1,741.2% in the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,565 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $90,000 after buying an additional 1,480 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd acquired a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter valued at approximately $96,000. Finally, Quarry LP acquired a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at approximately $85,000. Institutional investors own 75.88% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Nektar Therapeutics

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

• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target on Nektar from $102 to $123 and maintained a “buy” rating, implying substantial upside from current levels; this analyst action supports bullish investor expectations. Benzinga: Citigroup raises price target
• Positive Sentiment: Recent earnings beat (March 12) and a subsequent 12‑month high have reinforced the view that Nektar’s fundamentals and revenue beat are improving, which underpins the optimistic analyst revisions. American Banking News: NKTR hits 12‑month high after earnings beat
• Neutral Sentiment: Aggregate Wall Street price targets show a large consensus upside (~77%), a metric that can lift sentiment but is backward‑looking and not a guarantee of share movement. Use this as a signal of analyst optimism, not a certainty. Zacks: Wall Street analysts see upside in Nektar
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms (Rosen, Faruqi & Faruqi, Frank R. Cruz, DJS Law Group, etc.) are soliciting lead‑plaintiff candidates and announcing a securities class action covering purchasers of NKTR between Feb 26, 2025 and Dec 15, 2025; the deadline to move for lead plaintiff is May 5, 2026. The proliferation of filings increases near‑term legal and reputational risk and can pressure the stock despite bullish analyst views. Rosen Law Firm notice GlobeNewswire: Rosen notice Faruqi & Faruqi notice Law Offices of Frank R. Cruz notice DJS Law Group notice

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.