Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac shares tumble after conservatorship comments
On Thursday, Cantor Fitzgerald reiterated an Overweight rating on Zai Lab (NASDAQ:ZLAB), highlighting the potential for Bemarituzumab (bema) as an underappreciated growth driver for the company. The biotech firm, currently trading at $33.91 with a market cap of $3.65 billion, has shown remarkable strength with a 109% return over the past year. According to the firm, despite Zai Lab’s year-to-date performance with a 29% increase, Bemarituzumab has not garnered significant investor attention compared to other products like Vyvgart, DLL3 ADC, and KarXT.
Bemarituzumab is currently undergoing two Phase 3 readouts, FORTITUDE-101 and FORTITUDE-102, for the treatment of first-line gastric and gastro-esophageal junction cancer in the first and second halves of the year, respectively. Investors’ expectations for these readouts are mixed, with concerns about the nuances of testing and the level of clinical benefit. However, Cantor Fitzgerald believes that Bemarituzumab could have a clear path forward and potentially drive meaningful growth for Zai Lab starting in 2027, with projected peak sales nearing $1 billion in the Bull Case scenario. InvestingPro data shows strong analyst consensus, with targets ranging from $36.10 to $74.00, suggesting significant upside potential.
The firm’s Net Present Value (NPV) analysis suggests that Bemarituzumab could add approximately $8 per share to Zai Lab’s value. While positive news regarding Bemarituzumab could further support Zai Lab’s growth narrative, there is also a risk of negative impact from disappointing data. The analyst’s comments come amid a backdrop of Zai Lab’s strong performance in the biotech sector, with impressive revenue growth of 49.59% in the last twelve months. According to InvestingPro, the company maintains a FAIR financial health score, with 12 additional ProTips available for subscribers looking to dive deeper into the company’s fundamentals.
In other recent news, Zai Lab has been the focus of analyst attention with mixed assessments. Scotiabank (TSX:BNS) analyst Louise Chen initiated coverage on Zai Lab with a Sector Outperform rating and set a one-year price target of $55 per share, citing the company’s strong execution and impressive product lineup. Chen also projected that Zai Lab could become cash flow positive by the fourth quarter of 2025, potentially enhancing investor confidence. Meanwhile, BofA Securities downgraded Zai Lab from Buy to Neutral but raised the price target from $29 to $36.10. BofA’s updated assessment reflects a tempered outlook due to the soft performance of certain products, although they acknowledge promising developments in Zai Lab’s pipeline. The analysts at BofA also revised their financial models, adjusting the weighted average cost of capital and the observed beta. Despite the downgrade, BofA highlights potential in new indications and products within Zai Lab’s pipeline. These recent developments indicate a period of strategic adjustments and expectations for Zai Lab.
This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.