Wall Street Analysts Predict a 34.8% Upside in Alkermes (ALKS): Here's What You Should Know

Core Viewpoint - Alkermes (ALKS) has shown a significant price increase of 12.1% over the past four weeks, with a mean price target of $41.76 indicating a potential upside of 34.8% from the current price of $30.98 [1] Price Targets and Analyst Consensus - The average price target consists of 17 estimates ranging from a low of $30.00 to a high of $54.00, with a standard deviation of $6.16, indicating variability among analysts [2] - The lowest estimate suggests a decline of 3.2%, while the highest indicates a potential upside of 74.3% [2] - A low standard deviation signifies a high degree of agreement among analysts regarding the stock's price movement [9] Earnings Estimates and Upside Potential - Analysts have shown increasing optimism about ALKS's earnings prospects, with a strong consensus in revising EPS estimates higher, which correlates with potential stock price increases [11] - The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has risen by 4.1% over the past month, with no negative revisions [12] - ALKS holds a Zacks Rank 2 (Buy), placing it in the top 20% of over 4,000 ranked stocks based on earnings estimates [13] Caution on Price Targets - While price targets are often sought after, they can mislead investors, as empirical research indicates that they rarely predict actual stock price movements [7] - Analysts may set overly optimistic price targets due to business incentives, which can inflate expectations [8] - Investors should approach price targets with skepticism and not rely solely on them for investment decisions [10]