Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Research Coverage Started at TD Cowen

20 Mar 2026, 05:36 by Tristan Rich · The Markets Daily

TD Cowen initiated coverage on shares of Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR – Free Report) in a research report report published on Tuesday, MarketBeat Ratings reports. The firm issued a buy rating on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock.

Several other research analysts have also recently commented on NKTR. HC Wainwright increased their price target on Nektar Therapeutics from $135.00 to $165.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Citigroup boosted their price target on Nektar Therapeutics from $102.00 to $123.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Monday. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. BTIG Research increased their price objective on Nektar Therapeutics from $118.00 to $151.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, February 10th. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and issued a $105.00 target price on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Monday, January 26th. Nine analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $136.43.

View Our Latest Stock Analysis on Nektar Therapeutics

Nektar Therapeutics Trading Up 2.3%

Shares of NKTR stock opened at $74.84 on Tuesday. The firm’s fifty day moving average price is $55.96 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $54.30. Nektar Therapeutics has a 1 year low of $6.45 and a 1 year high of $77.00. The firm has a market capitalization of $1.52 billion, a P/E ratio of -7.34 and a beta of 1.17.

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR – Get Free Report) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, March 12th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.78) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.69) by $0.91. The company had revenue of $21.81 million during the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $10.44 million. Nektar Therapeutics had a negative net margin of 297.07% and a negative return on equity of 386.16%. As a group, equities research analysts forecast that Nektar Therapeutics will post -0.72 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insider Transactions at Nektar Therapeutics

In other Nektar Therapeutics news, insider Jonathan Zalevsky sold 3,867 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, January 20th. The stock was sold at an average price of $35.67, for a total transaction of $137,935.89. Following the transaction, the insider owned 21,354 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $761,697.18. The trade was a 15.33% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, CEO Howard W. Robin sold 423 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, February 18th. The shares were sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total value of $30,879.00. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 75,489 shares in the company, valued at $5,510,697. This represents a 0.56% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 4,470 shares of company stock valued at $181,955 in the last quarter. 5.25% of the stock is currently owned by corporate insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in NKTR. BNP Paribas Financial Markets lifted its holdings in Nektar Therapeutics by 93.8% during the 3rd quarter. BNP Paribas Financial Markets now owns 434 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $25,000 after purchasing an additional 210 shares during the last quarter. Compass Wealth Management LLC acquired a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter valued at $88,000. Bessemer Group Inc. increased its holdings in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 1,741.2% in the third quarter. Bessemer Group Inc. now owns 1,565 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $90,000 after purchasing an additional 1,480 shares during the last quarter. Bayforest Capital Ltd bought a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter valued at about $96,000. Finally, Quarry LP bought a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the fourth quarter valued at about $85,000. 75.88% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Nektar Therapeutics

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

Positive Sentiment: TD Cowen initiated coverage with a buy recommendation, which can attract new interest and buying demand from institutional and retail investors. TD Cowen Initiates Coverage of Nektar Therapeutics
Positive Sentiment: Citigroup commentary reported in market write‑ups saying NKTR’s stock price is expected to rise, reinforcing bullish sentiment and supporting momentum. Nektar Therapeutics Stock Price Expected to Rise, Citigroup Analyst Says
Neutral Sentiment: HC Wainwright left a Buy rating and a $165 target but revised its near‑term EPS outlook unevenly (cuts to FY2026/FY2027 estimates, partial raises to some quarters and FY2030), creating mixed fundamental signals — bullish on long‑term upside but flagging nearer‑term earnings pressure. HC Wainwright Research Note on Nektar
Negative Sentiment: Multiple law firms have filed or solicited plaintiffs for a securities class action covering purchases between Feb. 26, 2025 and Dec. 15, 2025; dozens of notices and deadline reminders (May 5, 2026 lead‑plaintiff deadline) increase legal uncertainty and potential settlement/defense costs — a clear near‑term negative catalyst. Representative notices: Pomerantz (class action filing). Pomerantz Files Class Action Against Nektar
Negative Sentiment: Several plaintiff‑focusing firms (Rosen, Bernstein Liebhard, Faruqi & Faruqi, Levi & Korsinsky, Portnoy, Howard G. Smith, etc.) are actively soliciting claimants and reminding investors about the May 5 deadline — amplifying publicity around the case and the chance of broader shareholder litigation. Rosen Law Firm Notice on Nektar Class Action Bernstein Liebhard Shareholder Alert

Nektar Therapeutics Company Profile

(Get Free Report)

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.