Q3 EPS Estimate for Nektar Therapeutics Lifted by Analyst

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) – Research analysts at Zacks Research lifted their Q3 2026 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report issued to clients and investors on Monday, February 9th. Zacks Research analyst Team now anticipates that the biopharmaceutical company will post earnings per share of ($2.70) for the quarter, up from their prior estimate of ($2.92). The consensus estimate for Nektar Therapeutics’ current full-year earnings is ($0.72) per share. Zacks Research also issued estimates for Nektar Therapeutics’ Q4 2026 earnings at ($4.13) EPS, FY2026 earnings at ($11.98) EPS, Q1 2027 earnings at ($3.18) EPS, Q2 2027 earnings at ($3.23) EPS, Q3 2027 earnings at ($3.46) EPS, Q4 2027 earnings at ($5.48) EPS and FY2027 earnings at ($15.35) EPS.

NKTR has been the topic of a number of other research reports. HC Wainwright increased their price objective on Nektar Therapeutics from $135.00 to $165.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday. Weiss Ratings reissued a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, December 29th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. They set a “buy” rating and a $102.00 price target on the stock. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. Finally, BTIG Research increased their target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics from $118.00 to $151.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday. Eight investment analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, Nektar Therapeutics presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average price target of $119.86.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Performance

NKTR stock opened at $71.00 on Wednesday. The firm has a 50 day simple moving average of $43.79 and a 200 day simple moving average of $46.27. Nektar Therapeutics has a 52 week low of $6.45 and a 52 week high of $72.31. The stock has a market cap of $1.44 billion, a P/E ratio of -8.91 and a beta of 1.34.

Institutional Trading of Nektar Therapeutics

Several institutional investors and hedge funds have recently bought and sold shares of NKTR. BNP Paribas Financial Markets increased its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 93.8% during 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 last quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC acquired a new position in Nektar Therapeutics during the second quarter worth $39,000. Headlands Technologies LLC acquired a new stake in Nektar Therapeutics in the second quarter valued at $65,000. Integrated Wealth Concepts LLC bought a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the 1st quarter valued at about $68,000. Finally, Compass Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the 3rd quarter valued at about $88,000. Institutional investors own 75.88% of the company’s stock.

Insider Activity

In other Nektar Therapeutics news, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 2,207 shares of the stock in a transaction on Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.28, for a total value of $119,795.96. Following the sale, the chief executive officer directly owned 54,245 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,944,418.60. This trade represents a 3.91% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is accessible through the SEC website. Also, insider Mark Andrew Wilson sold 630 shares of Nektar Therapeutics stock in a transaction dated Tuesday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $54.28, for a total value of $34,196.40. Following the transaction, the insider owned 21,585 shares in the company, valued at $1,171,633.80. This trade represents a 2.84% decrease in their position. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders sold a total of 7,861 shares of company stock valued at $354,730 in the last ninety days. 5.25% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Trending Headlines about Nektar Therapeutics

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

• Positive Sentiment: Positive Phase 2b maintenance data for rezpegaldesleukin drove strong investor enthusiasm and was the primary catalyst for the recent rally; analysts are calling the results durable and market-moving. Nektar Stock Surges On Rezpegaldesleukin Phase 2b Maintenance Data: What It Means
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright raised its price target to $165 and reiterated a Buy, boosting sentiment and helping spark heavier trading. Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Sees Unusually-High Trading Volume Following Analyst Upgrade
• Positive Sentiment: Zacks and other boutiques raised some near-term model assumptions/quarterly estimates after the data, which supports the view of improved near-term outlook for key skin & immunology programs. Nektar (NKTR) Soars 51.1%: Is Further Upside Left in the Stock?
• Neutral Sentiment: Shares gapped up and trading volume spiked as momentum traders and funds repositioned; volume surge signals heightened interest but also greater volatility. Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Shares Gap Up Following Analyst Upgrade
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader media coverage (MSN, Benzinga, TipRanks) amplified the story and brought more retail/institutional attention — a flow dynamic rather than a fundamental change. Nektar Therapeutics stock pops on $300M equity offering
• Negative Sentiment: Nektar priced an upsized $400M public offering (6.6M common shares + pre-funded warrants) — provides cash runway but increases share count and created short-term selling pressure. Nektar Therapeutics Announces Pricing of Upsized $400 Million Public Offering
• Negative Sentiment: Market reaction to the offering included a pullback in some sessions and commentary noting the dilution; one report explicitly linked the offering to a stock drop. Nektar Therapeutics stock falls after $400 million public offering
• Negative Sentiment: HC Wainwright also revised longer-term EPS forecasts materially lower for FY2028–29 in its modeling despite the price-target raise, highlighting increased uncertainty around multi-year profitability assumptions. NASDAQ: NKTR Marketbeat

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.