BMO Capital downgrades Tourmaline Bio stock rating following Novartis acquisition news

Published 15/09/2025, 08:54
BMO Capital downgrades Tourmaline Bio stock rating following Novartis acquisition news

Investing.com - BMO Capital downgraded Tourmaline Bio (NASDAQ:TRML) from Outperform to Market Perform while raising its price target to $48.00 from $35.00. The stock has surged nearly 58% in the past week, currently trading at $47.61, just below its 52-week high of $47.70. According to InvestingPro analysis, technical indicators suggest the stock is in overbought territory.

The rating change follows Novartis’ (NYSE:NVS) definitive agreement to acquire Tourmaline Bio for approximately $1.4 billion.

BMO Capital analyst Kostas Biliouris cited the pending acquisition as the primary reason for the downgrade, noting the firm expects a "smooth deal closure by 4Q25."

The analyst indicated there should be no material anti-trust concerns regarding the transaction, given the "absence of IL-6-targeted ASCVD programs in Novartis’ pipeline."

The price target increase to $48.00 reflects the acquisition terms, representing a significant increase from the previous $35.00 target.

In other recent news, Novartis announced its agreement to acquire Tourmaline Bio for $48 per share, valuing the company at approximately $1.4 billion. This acquisition will grant Novartis access to Tourmaline’s IL-6-targeting antibody, pacibekitug, which is being developed for cardiovascular disease. Analysts have responded to the acquisition with several downgrades. Jefferies downgraded Tourmaline Bio from Buy to Hold, adjusting its price target to $47.50. Guggenheim also downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral, describing the deal price as fair and indicative of the pharmaceutical industry’s interest in IL-6 as a target. Wedbush followed suit, downgrading the stock from Outperform to Neutral with a price target of $48. The acquisition, approved by both companies’ boards, is expected to conclude in the fourth quarter of 2025.

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