Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Hits New 12-Month High After Earnings Beat

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR)’s share price reached a new 52-week high during trading on Friday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock traded as high as $77.00 and last traded at $73.6150, with a volume of 441428 shares changing hands. The stock had previously closed at $70.36.

The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating 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 638.32%. The firm had revenue of $21.81 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.44 million.

Nektar Therapeutics News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Q4 results beat expectations: EPS loss of ($1.78) topped consensus and revenue of $21.8M substantially exceeded estimates; management highlighted promising clinical data and near-term plans for rezpeg Phase III studies in atopic dermatitis (timing noted for Q2 2026). Nektar Reports Fourth-Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Earnings call and analyst coverage reinforced the upside: call transcripts and press coverage flagged promising Phase 2b/clinical takeaways that appear to be driving bullish investor sentiment and volume today. Earnings Call Transcript
• Neutral Sentiment: Balance-sheet snapshot: cash and marketable securities were $245.8M at year-end (down from $269.1M a year earlier) — provides runway but still limited given development-stage spending; watch cash burn guidance and upcoming Phase III cost needs. Financial Results / Cash Position
• Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have filed or announced securities-fraud investigations and class action notices covering the Feb 26–Dec 15, 2025 period; several firms are soliciting lead-plaintiff motions with a May 5, 2026 deadline — litigation could lead to legal costs, management distraction and settlement risk. Rosen Law Firm Notice Pomerantz Filing

Analysts Set New Price Targets

A number of analysts have recently commented on NKTR shares. William Blair upgraded Nektar Therapeutics from a “market perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. BTIG Research boosted their price target on Nektar Therapeutics from $118.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Jefferies Financial Group restated a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Wall Street Zen downgraded Nektar Therapeutics from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a report on Sunday, November 16th. Finally, Piper Sandler reaffirmed an “overweight” rating and issued a $105.00 price objective on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Eight analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $133.43.

Insider Buying and Selling at Nektar Therapeutics

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 transaction of $30,879.00. Following the completion of the sale, 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 the SEC website. Also, insider Jonathan Zalevsky sold 3,867 shares of the stock in a transaction 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 completion of the sale, the insider owned 21,354 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $761,697.18. This represents a 15.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. Insiders have sold a total of 4,470 shares of company stock worth $181,955 in the last 90 days. Company insiders own 5.25% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Nektar Therapeutics

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the stock. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its position in 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 acquiring an additional 210 shares in the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG grew its position in Nektar Therapeutics by 0.8% in the fourth quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 90,743 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $3,837,000 after acquiring an additional 743 shares in the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd raised its stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 51.3% during the fourth quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd now owns 2,541 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $107,000 after purchasing an additional 862 shares during the period. FNY Investment Advisers LLC raised its stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 70.6% during the third quarter. FNY Investment Advisers LLC now owns 2,602 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $148,000 after purchasing an additional 1,077 shares during the period. Finally, XTX Topco Ltd lifted its position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 22.0% during the fourth quarter. XTX Topco Ltd now owns 7,196 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $304,000 after purchasing an additional 1,299 shares in the last quarter. 75.88% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Up 4.1%

The firm has a market capitalization of $1.49 billion, a PE ratio of -7.18 and a beta of 1.17. The firm’s 50 day moving average price is $53.50 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $53.23.

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.