Howard Robin Sells 423 Shares of Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) Stock

Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) CEO Howard Robin sold 423 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, February 18th. The stock was sold at an average price of $73.00, for a total value of $30,879.00. Following the completion of the transaction, the chief executive officer owned 75,489 shares in the company, valued at approximately $5,510,697. This trade represents a 0.56% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

Nektar Therapeutics Stock Performance

Shares of NASDAQ:NKTR traded down $0.13 during trading on Friday, reaching $73.73. 997,867 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 1,224,227. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $45.43 and its 200 day moving average price is $48.01. The firm has a market cap of $1.50 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of -9.25 and a beta of 1.34. Nektar Therapeutics has a 12-month low of $6.45 and a 12-month high of $74.89.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts recently issued reports on the company. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (e+)” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Monday, December 29th. BTIG Research upped their target price on Nektar Therapeutics from $118.00 to $151.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, February 10th. Jefferies Financial Group reiterated a “buy” rating on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research note on Wednesday, December 17th. Citigroup began coverage on Nektar Therapeutics in a report on Wednesday, November 26th. They set a “buy” rating and a $102.00 target price on the stock. Finally, Piper Sandler reissued an “overweight” rating and set a $105.00 price target on shares of Nektar Therapeutics in a research report on Monday, January 26th. Eight equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $119.86.

Key Stories Impacting Nektar Therapeutics

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

• Positive Sentiment: Zacks Research raised multiple multi‑quarter and full‑year EPS projections (FY2026 and FY2027 were revised to smaller losses), indicating improved analyst expectations for Nektar’s future results — a generally constructive signal for the stock. MarketBeat NKTR
• Positive Sentiment: Nektar announced research collaboration with UCSF to test a TNFR2‑agonist/antibody approach in multiple sclerosis — a meaningful pipeline development that could add long‑term value if clinical data are positive. MSNewsToday: UCSF, Nektar team BioWorld: TNFR2 agonism in MS
• Neutral Sentiment: An AAII piece compared Nektar to another biotech (Harmony Biosciences) as an investment choice — useful context for longer‑term investors but unlikely to move the stock materially on its own. AAII comparison article
• Negative Sentiment: Zacks cut near‑term quarter estimates for Q2 2026 (and separately trimmed Q2 2027), signaling some expected near‑term pressure to results that can weigh on sentiment. MarketBeat NKTR

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Several institutional investors have recently modified their holdings of NKTR. Emerald Mutual Fund Advisers Trust purchased a new position in shares of Nektar Therapeutics during the 3rd quarter valued at approximately $13,269,000. Simplify Asset Management Inc. increased its stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics by 67.6% in the third quarter. Simplify Asset Management Inc. now owns 87,174 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $4,960,000 after buying an additional 35,176 shares during the last quarter. Emerald Advisers LLC bought a new stake in shares of Nektar Therapeutics in the third quarter worth $18,393,000. Moody Aldrich Partners LLC raised its holdings in Nektar Therapeutics by 62.3% in the third quarter. Moody Aldrich Partners LLC now owns 73,716 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $4,194,000 after acquiring an additional 28,304 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Stonepine Capital Management LLC bought a new position in Nektar Therapeutics during the 2nd quarter valued at $1,297,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 75.88% of the company’s stock.

Nektar Therapeutics Company Profile

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.