Zacks Small Cap Has Strong Forecast for LGND FY2026 Earnings

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ:LGND - Free Report) - Stock analysts at Zacks Small Cap boosted their FY2026 earnings estimates for shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in a report released on Monday, December 16th. Zacks Small Cap analyst J. Vandermosten now forecasts that the biotechnology company will post earnings of $5.00 per share for the year, up from their previous forecast of $4.60. The consensus estimate for Ligand Pharmaceuticals' current full-year earnings is $1.73 per share.

Several other analysts also recently issued reports on LGND. Barclays boosted their price target on Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $150.00 to $160.00 and gave the company an "overweight" rating in a research note on Monday. Benchmark upped their price target on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $110.00 to $135.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research note on Friday, November 8th. HC Wainwright reiterated a "buy" rating on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Wednesday, December 11th. Royal Bank of Canada increased their target price on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $141.00 to $143.00 and gave the stock an "outperform" rating in a research report on Wednesday, December 11th. Finally, Oppenheimer lifted their price target on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $135.00 to $147.00 and gave the company an "outperform" rating in a research report on Friday, November 8th. Six equities research analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, According to MarketBeat.com, the company presently has an average rating of "Buy" and a consensus target price of $147.00.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 1.6 %

Shares of NASDAQ:LGND traded down $1.91 during trading on Tuesday, reaching $120.43. 131,071 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 134,806. Ligand Pharmaceuticals has a 12 month low of $67.36 and a 12 month high of $129.90. The stock has a 50-day moving average price of $114.39 and a 200-day moving average price of $102.59. The firm has a market cap of $2.28 billion, a PE ratio of 47.98 and a beta of 1.01.

Insider Activity

In other Ligand Pharmaceuticals news, insider Andrew Reardon sold 2,000 shares of the business's stock in a transaction dated Monday, September 23rd. The stock was sold at an average price of $99.60, for a total transaction of $199,200.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the insider now owns 22,534 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $2,244,386.40. The trade was a 8.15 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website. Also, CFO Octavio Espinoza sold 1,275 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, September 20th. The shares were sold at an average price of $103.94, for a total transaction of $132,523.50. Following the completion of the sale, the chief financial officer now owns 24,610 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,557,963.40. The trade was a 4.93 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 21,728 shares of company stock worth $2,271,575. 5.90% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Trading of Ligand Pharmaceuticals

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of the stock. Innealta Capital LLC acquired a new position in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in the second quarter valued at approximately $31,000. Rothschild Investment LLC bought a new position in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter valued at $34,000. Headlands Technologies LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 21.7% during the second quarter. Headlands Technologies LLC now owns 758 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $64,000 after purchasing an additional 135 shares during the period. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. grew its stake in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 23.3% in the third quarter. Mirae Asset Global Investments Co. Ltd. now owns 661 shares of the biotechnology company's stock worth $64,000 after purchasing an additional 125 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Benjamin F. Edwards & Company Inc. acquired a new stake in Ligand Pharmaceuticals in the second quarter valued at $67,000. Institutional investors own 91.28% of the company's stock.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated, a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and licensing of biopharmaceutical assets worldwide. Its commercial programs include Kyprolis and Evomela, which are used to treat multiple myeloma; Rylaze, a recombinant erwinia asparaginase for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma in adult and pediatric patients; Filspari, a dual endothelin and angiotensin II receptor antagonist in development for rare kidney diseases and non-immunosuppressive treatment indicated for immunoglobulin A nephropathy; Teriparatide injection product for osteoporosis; Vaxneuvance for the prevention of invasive disease caused by streptococcus pneumoniae serotypes; and Pneumosil, a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to help fight against pneumococcal pneumonia among children.