ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACAD) Releases Quarterly Earnings Results, Misses Expectations By $0.02 EPS

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACAD) announced its earnings results on Wednesday. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.02 earnings per share for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.04 by ($0.02), Zacks reports. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals had a net margin of 36.49% and a return on equity of 12.49%. The company had revenue of $268.10 million for the quarter, compared to the consensus estimate of $280.25 million.

Here are the key takeaways from ACADIA Pharmaceuticals’ conference call:

• ACADIA reported a solid start to 2026 with $268 million in Q1 revenue (11% adjusted YoY growth), reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance, and a strong cash position of $851 million, supporting execution and BD flexibility.
• DAYBUE STIX is now broadly available in the U.S.; early uptake exceeded expectations (≈250 prescriptions in Q1, ~30% treatment‑naive or restarts) and management expects the new formulation to re‑engage patients and drive further growth.
• The upcoming remlifanserin Phase II readout (Aug–Oct 2026) is highlighted as the company’s most important near‑term catalyst, with management citing ~\$4 billion peak sales potential for remlifanserin across ADP and LBD psychosis if results are favorable.
• International regulatory and clinical timelines advanced: trofinetide’s European reexamination is expected to conclude by late June and the Japan Phase III readout is now anticipated in Sep–Nov 2026, creating additional potential catalysts but with typical regulatory uncertainty.
• Executive transition risk: EVPR&D Elizabeth Thompson announced retirement by year‑end (she will lead through key readouts), introducing potential leadership continuity risk during a critical period for late‑stage programs.

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Price Performance

Shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals stock traded down $0.87 on Wednesday, reaching $21.48. The company had a trading volume of 3,576,546 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,697,851. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals has a 1 year low of $14.45 and a 1 year high of $28.35. The firm’s 50-day moving average price is $22.16 and its two-hundred day moving average price is $23.88. The firm has a market cap of $3.68 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 9.38, a P/E/G ratio of 23.15 and a beta of 0.86.

Analyst Ratings Changes

Several analysts have commented on the stock. UBS Group raised their price objective on shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Tuesday, January 6th. Stifel Nicolaus lowered their price target on ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from $25.00 to $24.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a report on Thursday, February 26th. TD Cowen increased their price target on shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from $35.00 to $37.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Wolfe Research assumed coverage on ACADIA Pharmaceuticals in a report on Monday, February 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $33.00 price target on the stock. Finally, Bank of America raised shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $29.00 price objective for the company in a report on Wednesday, March 25th. One research analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have issued a Buy rating, four have assigned a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat, the stock presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $31.21.

Insider Buying and Selling

In other ACADIA Pharmaceuticals news, insider James Kihara sold 1,332 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.79, for a total value of $29,024.28. Following the completion of the sale, the insider owned 29,129 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $634,720.91. This trade represents a 4.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a document filed with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this hyperlink. Also, EVP Mark C. Schneyer sold 3,506 shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals stock in a transaction dated Monday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.79, for a total transaction of $76,395.74. Following the sale, the executive vice president owned 66,145 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,441,299.55. The trade was a 5.03% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Insiders have sold 15,527 shares of company stock valued at $350,917 in the last ninety days. 26.20% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the company. Royal Bank of Canada raised its stake in ACADIA Pharmaceuticals by 74.4% in the first quarter. Royal Bank of Canada now owns 80,528 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,338,000 after buying an additional 34,352 shares during the last quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC grew its stake in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals by 3.8% during the first quarter. AQR Capital Management LLC now owns 67,672 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $1,124,000 after acquiring an additional 2,492 shares during the last quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. increased its holdings in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals by 7.5% during the first quarter. MIRAE ASSET GLOBAL ETFS HOLDINGS Ltd. now owns 89,952 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $1,498,000 after acquiring an additional 6,303 shares in the last quarter. Empowered Funds LLC purchased a new position in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals in the 1st quarter valued at approximately $186,000. Finally, UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC raised its position in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals by 14.6% in the 1st quarter. UBS AM A Distinct Business Unit of UBS Asset Management Americas LLC now owns 251,056 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $4,170,000 after purchasing an additional 31,931 shares during the last quarter. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 96.71% of the company’s stock.

Key Stories Impacting ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong early adoption of DAYBUE — management highlighted DAYBUE STIX generated $101 million in Q1, helping total revenue and supporting the company’s confidence in the U.S. launch. Read More.
• Positive Sentiment: Full-year guidance reaffirmed — ACAD reaffirmed its 2026 financial guidance and reiterated revenue targets (management indicated confidence in the year despite the quarter). That reduces concern about an earnings-only miss being a broader slowdown. Read More.
• Neutral Sentiment: Company materials posted — management released a press release and slide deck for the quarter; investors should review slides for product/unit trends and margin commentary. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and revenue miss — ACAD reported $0.02 EPS vs. consensus ~$0.04 and revenue $268.1M vs. ~$280.3M, which sparked selling pressure as a headline miss despite solid margins. Read More.
• Negative Sentiment: Insider selling — two insiders (EVP Mark Schneyer and James Kihara) disclosed sales on May 4th, which can weigh on sentiment even if sales are routine. Read More.

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Established in 1993 and headquartered in San Diego, California, ACADIA’s research centers concentrate on conditions with significant unmet medical needs, including Parkinson’s disease psychosis, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, and schizophrenia. The company utilizes a range of scientific platforms, including selective receptor modulation and precision-targeted compounds, to advance its portfolio of small-molecule therapeutics.

The company’s flagship product, NUPLAZID® (pimavanserin), received U.S.