H.C. Wainwright maintains Buy on Opko Health, $3 target

Published 19/03/2025, 12:28
H.C. Wainwright maintains Buy on Opko Health, $3 target

Wednesday, H.C. Wainwright reaffirmed its Buy rating on Opko Health (NASDAQ:OPK) shares with a $3.00 price target. Trading at $1.79, the company, with a market capitalization of $1.2 billion, has seen its stock surge over 105% in the past year. According to InvestingPro data, analysts maintain a Strong Buy consensus with price targets ranging from $2.00 to $8.50. The endorsement follows a recent collaboration and license agreement between Opko Health and Entera Bio (NASDAQ:ENTX) to develop an oral treatment for obesity and related disorders using a dual agonist peptide. While InvestingPro analysis shows Opko maintains a moderate debt level with a current ratio of 3.43, indicating strong short-term liquidity, the company is currently burning through cash rapidly.

Opko Health’s proprietary oxyntomodulin (OXM) analog, combined with Entera’s N-Tab technology, aims to create a once-daily tablet for patients with obesity, metabolic, and fibrotic disorders. The companies reported promising data from animal studies regarding the drug’s pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and bioavailability.

The partnership stipulates that Opko and Entera will hold 60% and 40% ownership interests, respectively, and will share development costs accordingly. Opko has also invested in Entera by purchasing 3.7 million shares at $2.17 each, funding Entera’s share of the costs through Phase 1.

Post-Phase 1, Entera has the option to continue funding its share to maintain its ownership interest. If Entera opts out, it will retain a 15% interest, while Opko will hold 85% and cover future development expenses. The companies plan to submit an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to the FDA later this year.

The current market offers only one FDA-approved oral GLP-1 agonist, Rybelsus (semaglutide), with no approved dual GLP-1/glucagon agonists. Opko’s modified OXM agonist peptide, which showed significant benefits in a Phase 2b trial with 113 obese and diabetic patients, could potentially position the company in the expanding GLP-1 drug market for obesity. For a comprehensive analysis of Opko’s market position and financial outlook, including 8 additional ProTips and detailed Fair Value calculations, explore the full Pro Research Report available on InvestingPro.

In other recent news, Opko Health reported its fourth-quarter 2024 earnings, showcasing an earnings per share (EPS) of $0.01, which exceeded analysts’ expectations of a loss of $0.08. However, the company reported revenue of $103.1 million, falling short of the anticipated $156.35 million. The company also announced a significant transaction with Labcorp, where Labcorp will acquire Opko’s BioReference Health laboratory testing businesses specializing in oncology, valued at $192.5 million, with potential additional earn-outs of up to $32.5 million. This transaction is expected to close in the second half of 2025 and involves assets generating $85-100 million in annual revenue. H.C. Wainwright maintained its Buy rating on Opko Health, with a price target of $3.00, reflecting confidence in the company’s strategic direction. The firm views the Labcorp transaction as a strategic move to streamline BioReference’s operations and potentially accelerate profitability. Opko Health’s restructuring efforts, including workforce reductions at BioReference Health, are anticipated to enhance profitability by 2025. The company projects 2025 revenue between $675 million and $700 million, with continued investment in research and development.

This article was generated with the support of AI and reviewed by an editor. For more information see our T&C.

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