Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Price Target Raised to $185.00 at HC Wainwright

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) had its price target raised by HC Wainwright from $165.00 to $185.00 in a report issued on Monday,Benzinga reports. They currently have a buy rating on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock.

Other equities analysts have also issued research reports about the stock. Citigroup boosted their price target on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $102.00 to $123.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 16th. Wall Street Zen raised shares of Nektar Therapeutics from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a report on Saturday, April 11th. B. Riley Financial reissued a “buy” rating and issued a $150.00 price target (up from $105.00) on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Monday, February 23rd. BTIG Research boosted their price target on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $118.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Oppenheimer reissued an “outperform” rating and issued a $140.00 price target on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Friday, March 13th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat.com, Nektar Therapeutics has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $134.00.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Up 18.3%

Shares of NKTR stock opened at $100.35 on Monday. Nektar Therapeutics has a 12-month low of $7.99 and a 12-month high of $109.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $2.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.84 and a beta of 1.16. The firm has a fifty day moving average of $73.51 and a 200-day moving average of $58.59.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) last announced its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate 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 company had revenue of $21.81 million during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $10.44 million. Research analysts expect that Nektar Therapeutics will post -10.02 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total value of $30,879.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer directly owned 75,489 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $5,510,697. This represents a 0.56% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Insiders own 3.71% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Nektar Therapeutics

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in NKTR. BNP Paribas Financial Markets boosted its stake in Nektar Therapeutics by 93.8% in 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 during the period. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the 2nd quarter worth $65,000. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC acquired a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the 1st quarter worth $68,000. Quarry LP acquired a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the 4th quarter worth $85,000. Finally, Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in Nektar Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter worth $88,000. 75.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Nektar Therapeutics News Roundup

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.