On Wednesday, Stephens, a financial services firm, raised the stock price target for Exelixis (NASDAQ:EXEL) shares to $29.00, up from the previous target of $23.00, while maintaining an Equal Weight rating on the stock. This adjustment follows Exelixis' announcement of its third-quarter financial results on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, which exceeded expectations, particularly in terms of Cabometyx (Cabo) revenue.
The company's third-quarter performance was highlighted by a significant beat in Cabo revenue, reporting $478.1 million compared to Stephens' estimate of $433.0 million and the Street's estimate of $442.0 million. Following these strong results, Exelixis has increased its year-end 2024 guidance for total revenue to between $2.150 billion and $2.200 billion, with net product revenue projections also rising to the range of $1.775 billion to $1.825 billion.
Stephens updated its year-end 2024 earnings per share (EPS) estimate for Exelixis to $1.60, up from $1.50, and its full-year 2025 EPS forecast to $2.08 from $1.91. The revised price target of $29 reflects the firm's view of Exelixis' new trading base following the resolution of litigation.
During the earnings call, Exelixis outlined its strategic focus on becoming a leading genitourinary/gastrointestinal (GU/GI) oncology company, leveraging the strengths of its CABOMETYX and zanzalintinib (Zanza) franchises.
Despite the positive momentum, Stephens reiterated its Equal Weight rating, indicating a neutral stance. The firm is taking a cautious approach, opting to observe Exelixis' execution of its ambitious revenue targets for the Cabo and Zanza franchises before changing its investment rating.
In other recent news, Exelixis, Inc. has seen significant developments. The company outperformed expectations with robust Q2 revenues of $637.2 million, largely attributed to the strong performance of cabozantinib, which contributed $437.6 million.
Exelixis recently won a major legal victory, with the U.S. District Court affirming the validity of three patents associated with cabozantinib, effectively blocking a generic version from entering the market until at least January 2030.
Analysts from Citi and H.C. Wainwright have reaffirmed their Buy rating on Exelixis shares, while Goldman Sachs maintains a Sell rating. RBC Capital also maintained its Outperform rating and increased the price target to $34 from $30.
In addition, Exelixis has initiated a clinical development partnership with Merck to assess the efficacy of a new investigational cancer treatment. The collaboration involves a phase 3 trial for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and multiple trials for renal cell carcinoma.
Exelixis is also looking forward to several key developments, including the potential label expansion of cabozantinib into treating neuroendocrine tumors (NET). These are the latest developments in the company's journey.
InvestingPro Insights
Exelixis' strong financial performance, as highlighted in the article, is further supported by real-time data from InvestingPro. The company's revenue growth is impressive, with a 35.61% increase in quarterly revenue as of Q2 2024. This aligns with the company's increased guidance for total revenue mentioned in the article.
InvestingPro Tips reveal that Exelixis holds more cash than debt on its balance sheet and has liquid assets exceeding short-term obligations. These factors contribute to the company's financial stability and ability to invest in its strategic focus on becoming a leading GU/GI oncology company.
The stock's recent performance has been robust, with a 23.46% price return over the last three months. This upward trend is consistent with Stephens' decision to raise the price target. Additionally, Exelixis is trading near its 52-week high, reflecting investor confidence in the company's prospects.
For readers interested in a deeper analysis, InvestingPro offers 12 additional tips for Exelixis, providing a comprehensive view of the company's financial health and market position.
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