HC Wainwright Forecasts Strong Price Appreciation for Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND) Stock

Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND) had its target price boosted by analysts at HC Wainwright from $289.00 to $358.00 in a research note issued to investors on Thursday,Benzinga reports. The firm presently has a “buy” rating on the biotechnology company’s stock. HC Wainwright’s target price indicates a potential upside of 22.12% from the company’s previous close.

Several other equities analysts have also recently issued reports on LGND. Weiss Ratings cut Ligand Pharmaceuticals from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 15th. Citigroup assumed coverage on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $387.00 price objective on the stock. Oppenheimer reaffirmed an “outperform” rating and issued a $326.00 target price (up from $285.00) on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Monday, August 3rd. Stifel Nicolaus increased their price target on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $255.00 to $332.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, July 8th. Finally, Royal Bank Of Canada raised their price objective on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $262.00 to $340.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a report on Wednesday, July 15th. Seven equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has assigned a Hold rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $336.57.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 2.3%

Shares of NASDAQ:LGND opened at $293.15 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of $5.87 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 31.35, a PEG ratio of 2.77 and a beta of 1.13. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 34.52 and a quick ratio of 20.95. The firm has a fifty day moving average price of $285.97 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $235.30. Ligand Pharmaceuticals has a one year low of $137.14 and a one year high of $326.63.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The biotechnology company reported $2.37 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of $1.97 by $0.40. The firm had revenue of $63.69 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $61.30 million. Ligand Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 20.06% and a net margin of 67.88%.The company’s revenue for the quarter was up 33.8% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the prior year, the business earned $1.60 EPS. Ligand Pharmaceuticals has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.000-9.500 EPS. Analysts anticipate that Ligand Pharmaceuticals will post 4.89 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ligand Pharmaceuticals news, Director John L. Lamattina sold 4,591 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Wednesday, June 10th. The shares were sold at an average price of $250.88, for a total transaction of $1,151,790.08. Following the completion of the transaction, the director owned 26,969 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $6,765,982.72. This trade represents a 14.55% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this link. Also, Director Stephen L. Sabba sold 2,145 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Tuesday, June 16th. The stock was sold at an average price of $254.00, for a total value of $544,830.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director owned 33,629 shares in the company, valued at $8,541,766. The trade was a 6.00% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last quarter, insiders have sold 35,231 shares of company stock valued at $9,199,401. Insiders own 5.60% of the company’s stock.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ligand Pharmaceuticals

Several large investors have recently modified their holdings of LGND. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC grew its position in Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 86.3% during the 3rd quarter. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC now owns 149 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $26,000 after purchasing an additional 69 shares during the last quarter. Kestra Advisory Services LLC purchased a new position in Ligand Pharmaceuticals in the fourth quarter worth about $31,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC bought a new position in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter worth approximately $52,000. Covestor Ltd lifted its stake in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 17,050.0% in the fourth quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 343 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $65,000 after buying an additional 341 shares in the last quarter. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc grew its holdings in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 1,040.0% during the fourth quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 342 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock valued at $65,000 after buying an additional 312 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 91.28% of the company’s stock.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals News Summary

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

• Positive Sentiment: Ligand reported second-quarter adjusted EPS of $2.37, beating analysts’ $1.95 consensus estimate, while revenue of $63.69 million exceeded expectations of $60.87 million. Revenue increased 33.8% year over year, and EPS rose from $1.60 in the prior-year quarter. Ligand Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS outlook to $9.00-$9.50, above the $8.13 analyst consensus. The outlook implies continued earnings growth and supports the investment case for Ligand’s royalty-focused business model. Ligand Pharmaceuticals Q2 Adjusted Earnings, Revenue Rise; 2026 Adjusted EPS Outlook Lifted, Revenue Outlook Reaffirmed
• Positive Sentiment: Royal Bank of Canada raised its price target from $340 to $345 and maintained an “outperform” rating. HC Wainwright also lifted its target from $289 to $358 and assigned a “buy” rating, signaling that analysts see further upside. Analyst Price Target Updates
• Neutral Sentiment: Ligand reaffirmed fiscal 2026 revenue guidance of $270 million-$310 million. Although the midpoint is below the $287.5 million consensus estimate, the range remains consistent with the company’s previous outlook and may reflect the timing of royalty and licensing revenue. Ligand Pharmaceuticals 2026 Q2 Results Presentation
• Negative Sentiment: The stock’s decline following the earnings beat suggests investors may have been looking for a larger revenue outlook increase or may be locking in gains after the shares’ strong run. The mixed revenue guidance could be limiting the immediate reaction to the otherwise favorable results. Biopharma Royalty Powerhouse Dips Despite Beat-and-Raise Quarter

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Ligand Pharmaceuticals, Inc is a biopharmaceutical company that acquires, develops and out-licenses proprietary technologies designed to help pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies discover and develop novel medicines. Operating primarily through its research services and royalty-generating businesses, Ligand focuses on building a diversified portfolio of technology platforms and partnering with industry leaders to advance therapeutic candidates across multiple disease areas.

The company’s product offerings center around several core platforms.