Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) Stock

Nektar Therapeutics (NKTR) is a Healthcare stock trading at $74.00 (as of 2026-08-21), with a market capitalization of $2.53B. Figures are sourced from first-party U.S. SEC EDGAR filings and market data.

Nektar Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering and developing medicines in areas of unmet medical need in the United States and internationally. The company's products include Bempegaldesleukin, a CD122-preferential interleukin-2 (IL-2) pathway agonist, which is in phase 3 clinical trial to treat metastatic melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, muscle-invasive bladder cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, and adjuvant melanoma; phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, non-small cell lung cancer, and urothelial cancer; phase 1/2A clinical trial to treat squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck; phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of solid tumors; and phase 1B clinical trial to treat COVID-19. It is also developing NKTR-358, a cytokine Treg stimulant that is in phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and ulcerative colitis, as well as phase 1B clinical trial to treat atopic dermatitis and psoriasis; NKTR-255, an IL-15 receptor agonist, which is in phase 1/2 clinical trial for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and multiple myeloma, and head and neck cancer and colorectal cancer; and NKTR-262, a toll-like receptor agonist that is in phase 1/2 clinical trial to treat solid tumors, as well as various other drug candidates. The company has collaboration agreements with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.; AstraZeneca AB; UCB Pharma S.A.; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Bausch Health Companies Inc.; Pfizer Inc.; Amgen Inc.; UCB Pharma (Biogen); Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Baxalta Incorporated; Eli Lilly and Company; Merck KGaA; and SFJ Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Nektar Therapeutics was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Understand Nektar Therapeutics: how it makes money

Nektar Therapeutics develops biopharmaceutical medicines for unmet medical needs, with Bempegaldesleukin in multiple clinical trials (including phase 3 in metastatic melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and other cancers), and it earns money mainly through licensing, collaboration arrangements, and non-cash royalty revenue tied to future royalties.

As a clinical-stage biopharma, the company’s economic outcomes depend on whether its trial-stage assets, such as Bempegaldesleukin, progress to results that support future partnering, licensing, or royalty value, since current recognized revenue is minimal and losses dominate.

Revenue by segment (latest quarter)
Non-cash Future Royalties$0.0B
License Collab Other$0.0B

Business quality (Weak): The provided quarter data shows essentially zero revenue and no gross margin, so the company’s near-term fundamentals look clinical-stage and loss-driven rather than commercially driven.

Bull case

  • Broad Bempegaldesleukin clinical pipeline: The company reports Bempegaldesleukin is in phase 3 for multiple cancers and also in phase 2 for additional indications, which gives multiple potential readouts over time.
  • Ongoing clinical execution metrics are tracked: The operational set includes trial enrollment and randomized patient counts, which can help investors monitor progress in key studies.

Bear case

  • Near-zero revenue in the provided quarter: For the quarter ended 2026-03-31, revenue is shown as 0.0B, with only a small non-cash royalty amount listed in segment candidates.
  • Large operating loss: The provided operating margin is -359.6%, indicating sustained losses that rely on successful development progress and future monetization potential.
  • Clinical trial risk: Because the company’s main assets are in phase 1/2, phase 2, and phase 3, trial outcomes can materially change timelines and future revenue potential.
Valuation — source: SEC EDGAR (first-party)
Price$74.00
Market Cap$2.53B
Price / Book2.80
Price / Sales46.28
FCF Yield-9.3%
Profitability & Growth — source: SEC EDGAR
Revenue (TTM)$55.23M
Net Margin-297.1%
Revenue Growth (YoY)-9.3%
EPS Growth (YoY)-58.3%
FCF Growth (YoY)65.7%
Financial Health — source: SEC EDGAR
Altman Z-Score-12.63 (distress)
Valuation vs Sector & Industry
Sector P/E (Healthcare)21.7
Industry P/E (Pharmaceutical Products)17.2
Smart-Money Activity — SEC Form 4 / 13F / Congressional disclosures
Top Institutional HolderFMR LLC ($309.61M)
Institutional Holders Tracked10
Company
SectorHealthcare
IndustryPharmaceutical Products
CEOHoward W. Robin
Employees61
CountryUS
IPO Date1994-05-03

Related Companies (Pharmaceutical Products; 8 comparable drugmakers)

  • Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO)
  • Q32 Bio Inc. (QTTB)
  • XOMA Royalty Corp. (XOMA)
  • Ocular Therapeutix, Inc. (OCUL)
  • Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (LXRX)
  • Journey Medical Corporation (DERM)
  • Tango Therapeutics, Inc. (TNGX)
  • Nuvation Bio Inc. (NUVB)
NKTR earnings history · NKTR institutional & insider holders · NKTR KPIs & operating metrics · NKTR financials · NKTR investor presentations & press releases · NKTR SEC filings · NKTR peers · Congress trades · Insider trades · Short interest · Stock screener

Data as of 2026-08-21.

Figures sourced from U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC EDGAR) filings and market data. Not personalized investment advice.