Research Analysts Offer Predictions for NKTR Q1 Earnings

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) – Equities research analysts at HC Wainwright boosted their Q1 2026 EPS estimates for shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note issued to investors on Tuesday, March 17th. HC Wainwright analyst A. He now forecasts that the biopharmaceutical company will earn ($1.51) per share for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of ($2.05). HC Wainwright currently has a “Buy” rating and a $165.00 target price on the stock. The consensus estimate for Nektar Therapeutics’ current full-year earnings is ($0.72) per share. HC Wainwright also issued estimates for Nektar Therapeutics’ Q2 2026 earnings at ($1.82) EPS, Q3 2026 earnings at ($2.55) EPS, Q4 2026 earnings at ($3.41) EPS, FY2026 earnings at ($9.30) EPS, FY2027 earnings at ($11.69) EPS, FY2028 earnings at ($12.22) EPS, FY2029 earnings at ($8.23) EPS and FY2030 earnings at ($0.09) EPS.

A number of other brokerages also recently weighed in on NKTR. William Blair upgraded Nektar Therapeutics from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Oppenheimer restated an “outperform” rating and set a $140.00 price objective on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Friday, March 13th. BTIG Research boosted their target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $118.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research note on Tuesday, February 10th. Citigroup increased their target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $102.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday. Finally, Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Nine equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, Nektar Therapeutics currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $136.43.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Up 2.3%

Shares of NASDAQ NKTR opened at $74.84 on Thursday. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $55.96 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $54.30. Nektar Therapeutics has a 52-week low of $6.45 and a 52-week high of $77.00. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.52 billion, a P/E ratio of -7.34 and a beta of 1.17.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) last posted its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.69) by $0.91. The business had revenue of $21.81 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.44 million. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative return on equity of 386.16% and a negative net margin of 297.07%.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

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

Insider Transactions at Nektar Therapeutics

In other Nektar Therapeutics news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred 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 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 ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this link. Also, insider Jonathan Zalevsky sold 3,867 shares of Nektar Therapeutics stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $35.67, for a total value of $137,935.89. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 21,354 shares in the company, valued at approximately $761,697.18. This trade represents a 15.33% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 4,470 shares of company stock worth $181,955. Corporate insiders own 5.25% of the company’s stock.

More Nektar Therapeutics News

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

• Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen initiated coverage with a buy recommendation, which can attract new interest and buying demand from institutional and retail investors. TD Cowen Initiates Coverage of Nektar Therapeutics
• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup commentary reported in market write‑ups saying NKTR’s stock price is expected to rise, reinforcing bullish sentiment and supporting momentum. Nektar Therapeutics Stock Price Expected to Rise, Citigroup Analyst Says
• Neutral Sentiment: HC Wainwright left a Buy rating and a $165 target but revised its near‑term EPS outlook unevenly (cuts to FY2026/FY2027 estimates, partial raises to some quarters and FY2030), creating mixed fundamental signals — bullish on long‑term upside but flagging nearer‑term earnings pressure. HC Wainwright Research Note on Nektar
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have filed or solicited plaintiffs for a securities class action covering purchases between Feb. 26, 2025 and Dec. 15, 2025; dozens of notices and deadline reminders (May 5, 2026 lead‑plaintiff deadline) increase legal uncertainty and potential settlement/defense costs — a clear near‑term negative catalyst. Representative notices: Pomerantz (class action filing). Pomerantz Files Class Action Against Nektar
• Negative Sentiment: Several plaintiff‑focusing firms (Rosen, Bernstein Liebhard, Faruqi & Faruqi, Levi & Korsinsky, Portnoy, Howard G. Smith, etc.) are actively soliciting claimants and reminding investors about the May 5 deadline — amplifying publicity around the case and the chance of broader shareholder litigation. Rosen Law Firm Notice on Nektar Class Action Bernstein Liebhard Shareholder Alert

About Nektar Therapeutics

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.