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

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) had its target price hoisted by BTIG Research from $151.00 to $178.00 in a research note released on Monday morning,Benzinga reports. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock.

A number of other research analysts have also issued reports on NKTR. TD Cowen began coverage on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, March 17th. They set a “buy” rating on the stock. Wedbush began coverage on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Tuesday, March 24th. They set a “neutral” rating and a $70.00 target price on the stock. HC Wainwright increased their target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $165.00 to $185.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Piper Sandler restated an “overweight” rating and set a $105.00 target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Finally, Wall Street Zen upgraded shares of Nektar Therapeutics from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, April 11th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $134.00.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Up 18.3%

Nektar Therapeutics stock opened at $100.35 on Monday. The stock has a market cap of $2.88 billion, a P/E ratio of -9.84 and a beta of 1.16. Nektar Therapeutics has a twelve month low of $7.99 and a twelve month high of $109.00. The company’s 50-day moving average price is $73.51 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $58.59.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.69) by $0.91. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative net margin of 297.07% and a negative return on equity of 380.32%. The firm had revenue of $21.81 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.44 million. Equities analysts anticipate that Nektar Therapeutics will post -10.02 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

Insider Activity

In related news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were 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 in the company, valued at approximately $5,510,697. This trade represents a 0.56% decrease in their position. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. Corporate insiders own 3.71% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Trading of Nektar Therapeutics

Several large investors have recently made changes to their positions in NKTR. AQR Capital Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 336.9% during the 1st quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 3,640,851 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $2,463,000 after acquiring an additional 2,807,595 shares in the last quarter. Farallon Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $45,008,000. Two Seas Capital LP acquired a new stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $31,506,000. Prosight Management LP acquired a new stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics during the 4th quarter worth approximately $23,450,000. Finally, Two Sigma Investments LP boosted its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 446.9% during the 3rd quarter. Two Sigma Investments LP now owns 434,237 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $24,708,000 after acquiring an additional 354,842 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.88% of the company’s stock.

Key Nektar Therapeutics News

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

• Positive Sentiment: 52‑week topline results from the blinded 16‑week extension of REZOLVE‑AA showed increasing proportions achieving clinically meaningful SALT thresholds and a favorable safety profile, supporting advancement of rezpegaldesleukin into late‑stage development. PR Newswire: 52‑Week REZOLVE‑AA Results
• Positive Sentiment: Market commentary and coverage push: Seeking Alpha pieces highlight bullish thesis and a “Strong Buy” view on REZPEG proof‑of‑concept and late‑stage plans, and Barron’s noted the trial results as the catalyst for the stock move. Seeking Alpha: Strong Buy on REZPEG Barron’s: Hair Loss Trial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Analyst upgrades and price‑target increases (BTIG to $178, HC Wainwright to $185) add upside narrative and institutional validation of the clinical readout. Benzinga: Price Target Raises
• Neutral Sentiment: Nektar hosted a conference call and released slide/transcript material reviewing the 52‑week extension results — useful for due diligence on durability and safety but not new data beyond the topline release. Seeking Alpha: Slides/Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Trading was briefly halted pre‑market for “news pending,” a procedural event ahead of the company announcement that contributed to volatile early trading. (No article link.)
• Negative Sentiment: Nektar announced an underwritten public offering to raise $250M of common stock/pre‑funded warrants — a capital raise that could dilute existing shareholders and weigh on the stock despite funding future late‑stage development. PR Newswire: Proposed Public Offering
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have filed/issued notices about securities‑class actions covering Feb 26–Dec 15, 2025, creating legal overhang and potential future liabilities or distraction for management. These filings are attracting plaintiff interest ahead of lead‑plaintiff deadlines. GlobeNewswire: Securities Fraud Lawsuit 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.