Why Nektar Therapeutics Stock Popped 6% on Friday

Core Insights - Nektar Therapeutics has sufficient financial resources to fund its operations into early 2027, with a strong positive investor reaction following its latest quarterly earnings report [1][4] - The company reported total revenue of just under $11.2 million for the second quarter, significantly lower than the nearly $23.5 million reported in the same period of 2024, primarily deriving from noncash royalty revenue [2][4] - Nektar's net loss for the second quarter was slightly over $39 million, equating to $2.78 per share, which was higher than analysts' projections of a net loss of only $0.20 per share [4][5] Financial Performance - Total revenue for the second quarter was just under $11.2 million, down from nearly $23.5 million in the same quarter of 2024 [2] - The company's cash and investments in marketable securities were reported at just under $176 million at the end of the quarter, supplemented by approximately $107.5 million expected from a recent secondary share issue [4] - The net loss for the second quarter was slightly over $39 million, or $2.78 per share [4] Market Reaction - Following the earnings report, Nektar's share price increased by 6%, outperforming the S&P 500 index, which gained only 0.8% [1] Future Prospects - Nektar highlighted several potential tailwinds, including the U.S. FDA granting Fast Track designation for its investigational drug rezpegaldesleukin, aimed at treating severe-to-very-severe alopecia areata [6]