Assertio (NASDAQ:ASRT) Cut to “Hold” at Maxim Group

Maxim Group downgraded shares of Assertio (NASDAQ:ASRT) from a strong-buy rating to a hold rating in a report published on Thursday,Zacks.com reports.

Several other research firms have also recently weighed in on ASRT. HC Wainwright reissued a “neutral” rating and set a $18.00 price objective (down from $35.00) on shares of Assertio in a research report on Thursday. Lake Street Capital cut Assertio from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating and cut their price objective for the stock from $45.00 to $18.00 in a research report on Thursday. Zacks Research cut Assertio from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Friday, March 6th. Wall Street Zen cut Assertio from a “buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 21st. Finally, Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Assertio in a research report on Wednesday, January 21st. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, the company presently has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $18.00.

Assertio Price Performance

NASDAQ ASRT opened at $18.02 on Thursday. Assertio has a twelve month low of $8.55 and a twelve month high of $20.45. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.42, a quick ratio of 1.51 and a current ratio of 1.70. The stock has a market capitalization of $116.23 million, a PE ratio of -3.71 and a beta of 0.43. The stock has a 50-day simple moving average of $13.97 and a 200 day simple moving average of $12.40.

Assertio (NASDAQ:ASRT) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Monday, March 16th. The company reported ($1.86) earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of ($3.05) by $1.19. Assertio had a negative return on equity of 30.26% and a negative net margin of 25.59%.The business had revenue of $13.54 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $6.20 million. Research analysts anticipate that Assertio will post -0.15 EPS for the current year.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Assertio

Large investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the company. Virtu Financial LLC acquired a new position in Assertio in the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $26,000. Thurston Springer Miller Herd & Titak Inc. acquired a new position in Assertio in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $41,000. Rothschild Wealth LLC acquired a new position in Assertio in the 4th quarter valued at approximately $172,000. Perritt Capital Management Inc raised its holdings in Assertio by 51.6% in the 3rd quarter. Perritt Capital Management Inc now owns 350,316 shares of the company’s stock valued at $309,000 after acquiring an additional 119,281 shares in the last quarter. Finally, GSA Capital Partners LLP raised its holdings in Assertio by 536.0% in the 3rd quarter. GSA Capital Partners LLP now owns 381,584 shares of the company’s stock valued at $336,000 after acquiring an additional 321,584 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 48.96% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Assertio

Here are the key news stories impacting Assertio this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Wall Street price‑target aggregation highlights large upside potential (Zacks notes a ~115% implied upside based on analyst targets), which could attract speculative buying and longer‑term interest. Does Assertio (ASRT) Have the Potential to Rally 115.05% as Wall Street Analysts Expect?
• Positive Sentiment: Assertio has sold SYMPAZAN® and additional branded products to Cosette Pharmaceuticals — a portfolio monetization move that should generate cash and simplify the commercial footprint (potentially positive for near‑term liquidity and margins). Cosette Pharmaceuticals Expands Branded Portfolio through Acquisition of SYMPAZAN® and Additional Products from Assertio
• Neutral Sentiment: Assertio updated FY‑2026 guidance, issuing revenue guidance roughly in a $110–$125M range versus a ~$111M consensus — guidance is near street expectations but the company left EPS guidance unclear in public notes, so impact is muted until further clarity is provided.
• Neutral Sentiment: HC Wainwright reaffirmed a “neutral” rating and cut its price target to $18 (from $35). The reaffirmation keeps the stock in a hold/neutral bucket despite the lower target.
• Negative Sentiment: Lake Street Capital downgraded Assertio from “buy” to “hold” and slashed its price target to $18 from $45 — a sharp target cut that signals weaker analyst conviction and can pressure near‑term demand. Lake Street downgrades Assertio Holdings (ASRT)
• Negative Sentiment: Short interest rose meaningfully in March to ~301,837 shares (~4.9% of shares outstanding; ~1.4 days to cover), indicating increased bearish positioning that can amplify downward moves if sentiment deteriorates.
• Negative Sentiment: A shareholder class‑action firm announced an investigation related to Assertio’s sale to Garda Therapeutics (the deal would pay $18.00 cash plus a contingent value right), introducing legal and closing‑risk uncertainty. Shareholder Alert: Investigation of Assertio Holdings, Inc.
• Negative Sentiment: The stock moved lower after‑hours on reports of a discounted buyout/deal structure, which likely contributed to immediate selling pressure and the recent downgrades. ASRT stock drops after-hours on discounted buyout deal

About Assertio

Assertio Therapeutics, Inc, formerly known as Depomed, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders, including neuropathic pain, migraine and breakthrough cancer pain. The company’s commercial portfolio includes three FDA-approved products—Qutenza (8% capsaicin) for postherpetic neuralgia, Butrans (buprenorphine) transdermal system for chronic pain and Onsolis (fentanyl buccal soluble film) for breakthrough cancer pain—which are marketed primarily in the United States under licensing agreements with global partners.

In addition to its marketed therapies, Assertio maintains a pipeline of preclinical and clinical-stage candidates targeting a range of pain and neurological conditions.