Ligand (LGND) Moves to Strong Buy: Rationale Behind the Upgrade

Investors might want to bet on Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND) , as it has been recently upgraded to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). This rating change essentially reflects an upward trend in earnings estimates -- one of the most powerful forces impacting stock prices. Analysts have been steadily raising their estimates for Ligand. Over the past three months, the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the company has increased 17.2%. The change in a company's future earnings potential, as reflected in earnings estimate r ...