Leerink Partners Reiterates Buy Rating for Ionis Pharmaceuticals

On June 25, 2026, Leerink Partners reiterated its buy rating for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS), setting a price target of $129. Shares of Ionis traded at $76.52 on Thursday.

Other Institutional Activity in Ionis Pharmaceuticals

FMR LLC increased its holdings in Ionis Pharmaceuticals by 484,536 shares, bringing its total to 24,556,637 shares valued at about $1.84 billion, a 2.0% increase. Capital World Investors also grew its stake by 3,225,070 shares, now holding 21,186,369 shares worth roughly $1.59 billion, marking an 18.0% increase. Meanwhile, BlackRock, Inc. trimmed its position by 205,387 shares, leaving it with 10,442,476 shares valued at approximately $784.1 million, a 1.9% decrease. Vanguard Portfolio Management LLC and Vanguard Capital Management LLC both opened new positions, with holdings of 7,808,902 shares valued at $586.4 million and 7,118,330 shares worth $534.5 million, respectively.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Stock Up 33.0%

Shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IONS) traded near $76.52 on Thursday. The company has a market cap of about $12.54 billion. Ionis, which operates in the biotechnology sector, has a forward P/E ratio of -102.04 and a beta of 0.37, indicating it is less volatile than the market. The stock's 52-week range is between $36.93 and $86.74, with a 50-day moving average of $74.90 and a 200-day moving average of $75.00. Ionis maintains a solid current ratio of 4.10 and a quick ratio of 2.86, though it has a high debt-to-equity ratio of 531.05.

Recent Earnings

Ionis Pharmaceuticals reported revenue of approximately $1.06 billion, with a modest growth rate of 0.87%. Despite this, the company is not currently profitable, reflected in a net margin of -30.9% and a return on equity of -67.6%. The next earnings report is expected on August 5, 2026.

Insider Buying and Selling at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

On June 15, 2026, Spencer Berthelsen, an insider, bought 8,000 shares at an average price of $24.42. On the same day, he sold 8,000 shares at $73.49, with the sale planned under a Rule 10b5-1 plan. Holly Kordasiewicz, EVP and Chief Development Officer, sold 60,846 shares at an average price of $73.40 on June 12, 2026, under a planned transaction.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

On June 25, 2026, Leerink Partners maintained its buy rating for Ionis Pharmaceuticals with a price target of $129. HC Wainwright & Co. also reiterated its buy rating on the same day, setting a target of $130. The consensus among 23 analysts is a buy recommendation, with an average target price of $104.91.

About Ionis Pharmaceuticals

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a biotechnology company based in Carlsbad, California. It focuses on developing RNA-targeted therapies for various medical conditions. The company's products include treatments for conditions such as spinal muscular atrophy, amyloidosis, and familial chylomicronemia syndrome. Ionis collaborates with major pharmaceutical companies like Biogen, GSK, and AstraZeneca to develop its pipeline.

Bottom Line

Ionis Pharmaceuticals continues to attract attention from analysts and institutional investors, with Leerink Partners reiterating its buy rating and setting a high price target. Investors keep a close watch on Ionis, given its innovative approach in RNA-targeted therapies and strategic partnerships in the biotech field. As always, it's important to remember that analyst ratings and institutional filings are backward-looking and may not reflect the most current market conditions.