Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND) Stock Price Expected to Rise, Royal Bank Of Canada Analyst Says

Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND) had its price target boosted by equities research analysts at Royal Bank Of Canada from $340.00 to $345.00 in a note issued to investors on Friday,Benzinga reports. The brokerage presently has an “outperform” rating on the biotechnology company’s stock. Royal Bank Of Canada’s target price indicates a potential upside of 17.86% from the stock’s previous close.

A number of other equities analysts have also weighed in on the stock. HC Wainwright lifted their price target on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $289.00 to $358.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a report on Thursday. Oppenheimer restated an “outperform” rating and set a $326.00 price objective (up from $285.00) on shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals in a report on Monday. Stifel Nicolaus increased their target price on Ligand Pharmaceuticals from $255.00 to $332.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Wednesday, July 8th. Weiss Ratings cut Ligand Pharmaceuticals from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a report on Friday, May 15th. Finally, Citigroup assumed coverage on Ligand Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Tuesday, July 21st. They set a “buy” rating and a $387.00 price target for the company. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating and one has given a Hold rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, the company has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $336.57.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Trading Down 2.5%

LGND traded down $7.41 during midday trading on Friday, hitting $292.73. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 200,814 shares, compared to its average volume of 279,697. The company has a current ratio of 21.28, a quick ratio of 20.95 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.45. The firm has a market cap of $5.87 billion, a P/E ratio of 39.47, a PEG ratio of 2.79 and a beta of 1.13. The firm has a 50-day moving average price of $284.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $234.90. Ligand Pharmaceuticals has a 52-week low of $137.14 and a 52-week high of $326.63.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:LGND) last announced its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, August 6th. The biotechnology company reported $2.37 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $1.95 by $0.42. Ligand Pharmaceuticals had a net margin of 55.95% and a return on equity of 16.19%. The business had revenue of $63.69 million for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $60.87 million. During the same period in the prior year, the firm posted $1.60 EPS. The company’s revenue was up 33.8% on a year-over-year basis. Ligand Pharmaceuticals has set its FY 2026 guidance at 9.000-9.500 EPS. On average, research analysts anticipate that Ligand Pharmaceuticals will post 4.89 earnings per share for the current year.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other Ligand Pharmaceuticals news, Director Jason Haas sold 6,461 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction dated Friday, June 12th. The stock was sold at an average price of $255.58, for a total value of $1,651,302.38. Following the transaction, the director directly owned 4,981 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $1,273,043.98. This trade represents a 56.47% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, Director John L. Lamattina sold 4,591 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, June 10th. The stock was sold at an average price of $250.88, for a total value of $1,151,790.08. Following the transaction, the director owned 26,969 shares in the company, valued at approximately $6,765,982.72. This represents a 14.55% decrease in their position. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 35,231 shares of company stock worth $9,199,401. 5.60% of the stock is owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Ligand Pharmaceuticals

Hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently bought and sold shares of the stock. CIBC Private Wealth Group LLC raised its stake in shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 86.3% during the third 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 period. Kestra Advisory Services LLC acquired a new stake in Ligand Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter valued at $31,000. JPL Wealth Management LLC acquired a new stake in Ligand Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter valued at $52,000. Covestor Ltd increased its stake in Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 17,050.0% during the 4th quarter. Covestor Ltd now owns 343 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $65,000 after buying an additional 341 shares during the period. Finally, IFP Advisors Inc lifted its holdings in Ligand Pharmaceuticals by 1,040.0% in the 4th quarter. IFP Advisors Inc now owns 342 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $65,000 after buying an additional 312 shares in the last quarter. 91.28% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Trending Headlines about Ligand Pharmaceuticals

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

• Positive Sentiment: Ligand reported second-quarter EPS of $2.37, exceeding the $1.95 consensus estimate, while revenue rose 33.8% year over year to $63.69 million, above expectations of $60.87 million. EPS also increased from $1.60 in the prior-year quarter. Ligand Reports Second Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: The company raised its fiscal 2026 EPS outlook to $9.00–$9.50, well above the analyst consensus of $8.13. Revenue guidance of $270 million–$310 million was reaffirmed, with the midpoint modestly above the $287.5 million consensus estimate. Ligand Pharmaceuticals Q2 Adjusted Earnings, Revenue Rise; 2026 Adjusted EPS Outlook Lifted, Revenue Outlook Reaffirmed
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright raised its LGND price target from $289 to $358 and maintained a Buy rating, signaling continued confidence in Ligand’s royalty-based growth and earnings potential. HC Wainwright Price Target Update
• Negative Sentiment: Shares nevertheless dipped after the results. Investors may have been looking for a larger revenue outlook increase or stronger near-term upside, while the stock’s elevated valuation and sharp year-to-date appreciation leave it vulnerable to profit-taking even after a beat-and-raise quarter. 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.