Why Is Rare Disease Focused Ascendis Pharma Stock Trading Higher On Thursday?

Financial Performance - Ascendis Pharma reported a fourth-quarter EPS loss of 64 cents, beating the consensus loss of 1.07 euros [1] - Total revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 was 173.9 million euros, exceeding the consensus of 111.178 million euros and up from 137.7 million euros reported a year ago [1] - TransCon hGH (Skytrofa) sales reached 58.5 million euros [1] Product Launch and Revenue - TransCon PTH (Yorvipath) revenue for the fourth quarter of 2024 totaled 13.6 million euros [2] - The U.S. launch of Yorvipath has seen a strong start, with 908 prescriptions as of February 7, 2025, and 539 unique prescribing healthcare providers [2] Cash Position and Share Repurchase - As of December 31, 2024, cash and cash equivalents totaled 559.5 million euros, which would increase to 655 million euros including the $100 million upfront payment [3] - The board authorized the repurchase of up to$18.25 million shares [3] Analyst Insights - Early prescription trends for Yorvipath in the U.S. are strong, but insurance coverage and reimbursement challenges may slow revenue growth in the short term [4] - Analysts are focusing on the company's progress toward achieving breakeven cash flow and key milestones, with a positive outlook for Yorvipath's launch in 2025 [4] - Goldman Sachs maintains a Buy rating and raises the price target to $225 from$200 [4] Stock Performance - ASND stock is up 15.8% at $146.08 as of the last check [5]