Vanda Pharmaceuticals Sees Unusually Large Options Volume (NASDAQ:VNDA)

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VNDA) was the recipient of unusually large options trading activity on Wednesday. Stock traders bought 12,270 call options on the company. This is an increase of approximately 980% compared to the typical volume of 1,136 call options.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Several institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. Millennium Management LLC increased its stake in Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 220.0% during the 1st quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 2,139,591 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $9,821,000 after buying an additional 1,470,898 shares during the period. Marshall Wace LLP boosted its holdings in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 945.9% in the second quarter. Marshall Wace LLP now owns 471,720 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $2,227,000 after acquiring an additional 426,620 shares in the last quarter. Krensavage Asset Management LLC increased its stake in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 35.9% during the second quarter. Krensavage Asset Management LLC now owns 1,024,883 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $4,837,000 after acquiring an additional 270,502 shares during the period. Stonepine Capital Management LLC raised its holdings in Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 611.3% during the second quarter. Stonepine Capital Management LLC now owns 250,000 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,180,000 after purchasing an additional 214,852 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Qube Research & Technologies Ltd acquired a new stake in Vanda Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter worth approximately $894,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.14% of the company’s stock.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:VNDA opened at $8.82 on Friday. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $5.66 and its two-hundred day moving average is $5.07. The firm has a market capitalization of $521.26 million, a P/E ratio of -6.21 and a beta of 0.60. The company has a current ratio of 3.12, a quick ratio of 3.10 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01. Vanda Pharmaceuticals has a 52 week low of $3.81 and a 52 week high of $9.60.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VNDA) last issued its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday, October 29th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($0.38) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($0.31) by ($0.07). The business had revenue of $56.26 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $58.73 million. Vanda Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 16.82% and a negative net margin of 39.70%. Analysts anticipate that Vanda Pharmaceuticals will post -1.12 earnings per share for the current year.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

VNDA has been the topic of a number of research reports. B. Riley increased their target price on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals from $11.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Wednesday. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Wednesday, October 8th. HC Wainwright restated a “buy” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Monday, December 1st. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on Vanda Pharmaceuticals from $5.00 to $7.50 and gave the company a “hold” rating in a report on Wednesday. Finally, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an “overweight” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Wednesday, December 17th. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has given a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $13.13.

Key Stores Impacting Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Here are the key news stories impacting Vanda Pharmaceuticals this week:

• Positive Sentiment: FDA approved NEREUS (tradipitant) for prevention of vomiting induced by motion — the first new approved motion‑sickness drug in decades, creating a new commercial franchise and potential use against GLP‑1–related nausea; this approval is the primary catalyst driving bullish sentiment. Vanda Pharmaceuticals Announces FDA Approval of NEREUS
• Positive Sentiment: B. Riley raised its price target to $14 from $11, signaling increased analyst confidence in NEREUS’s commercial potential and supporting upside expectations. Vanda Pharmaceuticals price target raised to $14 from $11 at B. Riley
• Positive Sentiment: Sell‑side and commentary pieces highlight a 2026 “catalyst run” (NEREUS launch, Bysanti PDUFA) and note a strong cash balance (~$294M) and guidance that support funding multiple late‑stage launches — this reduces near‑term liquidity risk and frames upside from upcoming launches. Vanda’s 2026 Catalyst Run With Nereus Launch And Bysanti PDUFA In Focus
• Positive Sentiment: Unusual bullish options flow and extremely heavy equity volume suggest speculative and institutional buying interest around the approval and launch story (call volume spiked well above average). Article not provided
• Neutral Sentiment: Street coverage and headlines (Barron’s, Benzinga, Zacks, MSN) are amplifying the approval news, increasing visibility and short‑term trading interest; media attention can boost liquidity but may also amplify volatility. Vanda Pharmaceuticals Shares Jump 30% on Motion Sickness Drug Approval
• Negative Sentiment: Vanda reported recent quarterly losses (missed EPS and a net loss driven by higher R&D and SG&A), so the company remains in a strategic investment phase — commercial launch costs and execution risk could pressure margins and cash if revenues ramp slower than expected. Vanda’s 2026 Catalyst Run With Nereus Launch And Bysanti PDUFA In Focus

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and rare diseases. The company’s research and development efforts center on sleep-wake regulation, mood disorders, and movement disorders. Vanda’s mission is to address unmet medical needs by advancing novel molecules through clinical trials and regulatory review.

Vanda’s flagship commercial product is Hetlioz (tasimelteon), a melatonin receptor agonist approved by the U.S.