HC Wainwright Reaffirms Neutral Rating for Terns Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TERN)

Terns Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:TERN)‘s stock had its “neutral” rating reaffirmed by stock analysts at HC Wainwright in a report issued on Wednesday, MarketBeat reports. They presently have a $53.00 target price on the stock. HC Wainwright’s price objective suggests a potential downside of 0.32% from the stock’s previous close. HC Wainwright also issued estimates for Terns Pharmaceuticals’ FY2030 earnings at ($1.60) EPS.

Several other brokerages have also commented on TERN. Leerink Partners began coverage on shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Monday, February 9th. They issued an “outperform” rating and a $58.00 price target on the stock. Citigroup restated an “outperform” rating on shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Wednesday, November 26th. BMO Capital Markets upped their target price on shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals from $35.00 to $54.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a report on Tuesday, December 9th. Wall Street Zen downgraded shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Saturday, March 21st. Finally, UBS Group upgraded shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals to a “strong-buy” rating in a research note on Thursday, December 4th. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, nine have issued a Buy rating, three have issued a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company. According to MarketBeat, Terns Pharmaceuticals presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $56.90.

Terns Pharmaceuticals Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ TERN opened at $53.17 on Wednesday. The stock’s 50-day simple moving average is $40.96 and its 200-day simple moving average is $28.74. The firm has a market capitalization of $5.52 billion, a PE ratio of -51.62 and a beta of -0.31. Terns Pharmaceuticals has a fifty-two week low of $1.87 and a fifty-two week high of $53.19.

Insider Activity at Terns Pharmaceuticals

In other news, insider Emil Kuriakose sold 1,155 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, January 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.57, for a total value of $44,548.35. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 50,365 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,942,578.05. This represents a 2.24% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Amy L. Burroughs sold 71,339 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, January 5th. The stock was sold at an average price of $38.10, for a total transaction of $2,718,015.90. Following the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 138,976 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,294,985.60. This trade represents a 33.92% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale is available in the SEC filing. In the last ninety days, insiders have sold 170,409 shares of company stock worth $6,563,769. 1.50% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Terns Pharmaceuticals

Large investors have recently bought and sold shares of the business. UBS AM a distinct business unit of UBS ASSET MANAGEMENT AMERICAS LLC acquired a new position in Terns Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter valued at $25,000. GAMMA Investing LLC grew its holdings in shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals by 762.4% during the fourth quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 871 shares of the company’s stock worth $35,000 after buying an additional 770 shares during the last quarter. Engineers Gate Manager LP purchased a new position in shares of Terns Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter worth about $41,000. iA Global Asset Management Inc. acquired a new position in Terns Pharmaceuticals in the 4th quarter valued at about $43,000. Finally, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board acquired a new position in Terns Pharmaceuticals in the 2nd quarter valued at about $46,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 98.26% of the company’s stock.

Trending Headlines about Terns Pharmaceuticals

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

• Positive Sentiment: Merck agreed to buy Terns for $53.00 per share in cash, valuing the company at about $6.7 billion — investors view this as a strong exit valuation and strategic validation of Terns’ lead hematology asset, TERN‑701. Merck to Acquire Terns — Business Wire
• Positive Sentiment: Market reaction: shares traded with far above‑average volume and hit a new 52‑week high as the deal priced a near‑term valuation floor for shareholders. Terns Hits New 52‑Week High — American Banking News
• Neutral Sentiment: Deal mechanics and timing — Merck’s agreement is structured as a tender offer subject to customary conditions and shareholder participation; closing was guided for Q2 2026, so completion risk and timeline remain relevant. Merck Buyout Coverage — Reuters
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst posture unchanged around the deal: several firms (HC Wainwright, TD Cowen, Citizens/JMP) reaffirmed neutral/hold ratings or price targets very close to the $53 offer price, implying limited upside beyond the bid while the transaction is pending. Analyst Notes & Ratings — MarketBeat
• Negative Sentiment: Litigation/investigations: multiple shareholder law firms have launched probes into whether the $53 per‑share price and sale process were fair — these challenges could delay closing, increase transaction costs, or pressure the timeline. Investor Alert — Kahn Swick & Foti (Business Wire)

About Terns Pharmaceuticals

Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc is a clinical‐stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing oral small‐molecule therapies for the treatment of chronic liver diseases and other serious conditions. The company’s research and development efforts center on novel mechanisms of action designed to address the underlying causes of progressive liver disorders, including inflammation, fibrosis and metabolic dysregulation. By advancing targeted compounds that can be administered orally, Terns aims to offer patients more convenient and effective treatment options compared to injectable or biologic therapies.

The company’s pipeline features several candidates in various stages of preclinical and clinical evaluation.