The fourth-quarter 2025 reporting cycle for the Medical sector is about to pick up pace this week, as most firms are slated to share their earnings results over the next two weeks. The sector mainly comprises pharma/biotech and medical device companies. The earnings season for the drug and biotech sector kicked off in late January when bellwether Johnson & Johnson reported strong fourth-quarter results, beating estimates for earnings and sales. While most of the pharma bigwigs are slated to report their ear ...

Apellis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:APLS) is one of the best high short interest stocks with biggest upside potential. On January 21, Bank of America analyst Tazeen Ahmad upgraded Apellis to Buy from Neutral with an unchanged price target of $28. BofA maintains that the market is currently undervaluing Empaveli’s commercial prospects in treating rare kidney diseases, citing a robust launch trajectory that has already secured 267 new patient start forms since its late July approval. This initial 5% penetra ...

Company Overview - Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) shares increased by 5.8% to $23.07 in the last trading session, following a significant trading volume, contrasting with a 13.6% decline over the past four weeks [1] Product Performance - The rise in stock price is linked to growing investor optimism regarding Empaveli (pegcetacoplan), which is approved for treating paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria in the U.S. The drug generated approximately $35 million in preliminary U.S. net product revenues for Q4 2025, reflecting a 50% year-over-year increase [2] Financial Expectations - The company is projected to report a quarterly loss of $0.41 per share, marking a 41.4% decrease year-over-year. Expected revenues are $194.37 million, down 8.6% from the same quarter last year [3] - The consensus EPS estimate for the upcoming quarter has been revised 0.8% higher over the last 30 days, indicating a potential for price appreciation [4] Industry Context - Apellis Pharmaceuticals is categorized under the Zacks Medical - Biomedical and Genetics industry. Another company in the same sector, Lexicon Pharmaceuticals (LXRX), saw a 12.3% decline in its stock price, closing at $1.5, despite a 48.7% return over the past month [5] - Lexicon's consensus EPS estimate for its upcoming report remains unchanged at -$0.07, representing a 22.2% increase compared to the previous year [6]

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.Considering buying OKLO stock? Here’s what analysts think: Photo via Shutterstock ...

Index Changes - S&P Dow Jones Indices will implement changes to the S&P MidCap 400 and S&P SmallCap 600 indices effective January 30 and February 2, 2026 [1][3] - TTM Technologies (TTMI) will be added to the S&P MidCap 400, replacing Civitas Resources (CIVI), which is being acquired by SM Energy [1][3] - Amneal Pharmaceuticals (AMRX) will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600, replacing TTM Technologies [1][3] - Dutch Bros (BROS), Advanced Energy Industries (AEIS), and American Healthcare REIT (AHR) will be added to the S&P MidCap 400 on February 2, 2026, with Comerica (CMA), Cadence Bank (CADE), and PotlatchDeltic (PCH) being removed [1][3] - Apellis Pharmaceuticals (APLS) and LegalZoom.com (LZ) will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600, replacing Advanced Energy Industries and Elme Communities (ELME), respectively [1][3] Acquisition Details - SM Energy is acquiring Civitas Resources, and the deal is expected to close soon, with SM Energy remaining in the S&P SmallCap 600 post-merger [3] - Rayonier is acquiring PotlatchDeltic, and will remain in the S&P MidCap 400 after the merger [3] - Fifth Third Bancorp is acquiring Comerica, which will also remain in the S&P MidCap 400 post-acquisition [3] - Huntington Bancshares is acquiring Cadence Bank, with Cadence being removed from the S&P MidCap 400 [3] - Elme Communities is undergoing liquidation activities, making it no longer suitable for the S&P SmallCap 600 [3]

Core Viewpoint - Apellis Pharmaceuticals is experiencing significant growth potential in the rare kidney disease market, particularly with its newly approved treatment, Empaveli, which could enhance the company's revenue outlook in the coming years [1][6]. Early Commercial Performance - In Q3, Apellis reported U.S. net product revenue of $27 million for Empaveli, with 267 new patient start forms recorded since its late July approval, indicating approximately 5% penetration of the estimated 5,000 U.S. patient market [4]. - Management noted positive early payer traction, with no full coverage denials reported so far [4]. Competitive Positioning and Market Dynamics - Empaveli's broader label, including indications for IC-MPGN, pediatric, and post-transplant patients, is driving early uptake, with the company asserting stronger efficacy compared to Novartis AG's Fabhalta [5]. - Bank of America models peak U.S. sales of $508 million by 2033, assuming 20% peak penetration, which could add $10 per share to the price forecast of $28 [5]. Future Catalysts - The approval of the Syfovre prefilled syringe, expected to be filed in the first half of 2026, could accelerate growth in the geographic atrophy (GA) business, which has faced challenges due to the loss of charitable foundation funding [7][8]. - The prefilled syringe is viewed as a near-term competitive advantage that could expand market share and contribute to overall market growth, with potential impacts expected in 2027 [8]. Stock Performance - Apellis Pharmaceuticals shares increased by 2.37% to $21.52 at the time of publication [8].

Core Insights - Apellis Pharmaceuticals (APLS) received FDA approval for EMPAVELI targeting C3 glomerulopathy and IC-MPGN, with the stock trading around $28 at the time of approval [1] Company Summary - The FDA approval of EMPAVELI marks a significant milestone for Apellis Pharmaceuticals, potentially impacting its market position and stock performance [1]

Core Insights - Apellis Pharmaceuticals' stock has decreased by 31% over the past year despite receiving FDA approval for EMPAVELI, indicating a disconnect between regulatory success and commercial performance [2][7] Product Approval and Market Potential - EMPAVELI is the first and only approved treatment for C3 glomerulopathy and IC-MPGN, targeting approximately 5,000 patients in the U.S., with exclusive approval for about two-thirds of this population [3] - The positive opinion from the European CHMP in December 2025 enhances the global expansion potential and pricing power, typically associated with gross margins exceeding 90% [3] Patient Start Forms and Growth Expectations - Management has guided for 225 cumulative patient start forms by the end of 2025, having achieved 152 by the end of September, suggesting a slowdown to 24 forms per month in Q4 [4] - CEO Cedric Francois indicated that the company is moving past the initial wave of early adopters and anticipates steady growth moving into the next year [4] Revenue Challenges and Market Dynamics - SYFOVRE, which constitutes the majority of revenue, reported flat sales of $151 million in Q3 2025, with a mere 4% growth in injections, primarily driven by free goods costing the company $15 million [5] - The share of new patients for SYFOVRE has decreased to 52%, with management noting that retina specialists are adopting a cautious approach despite SYFOVRE's 60% market share [5] External Market Issues - The cessation of new co-pay assistance applications by Good Days Foundation has led to practices halting new patient enrollments, a challenge not unique to Apellis but reflective of broader issues in the geographic atrophy market [6]

Core Insights - Apellis Pharmaceuticals (APLS) shares have dropped 22.6% in the past week following disappointing preliminary fourth-quarter U.S. net product revenues reported at the J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference [2][6] Financial Performance - Preliminary U.S. net product revenues for Q4 2025 were reported at $190 million, which includes sales from two marketed drugs: Empaveli and Syfovre [3][6] - Syfovre generated approximately $155 million in Q4 2025, reflecting an 8% year-over-year decline, although it slightly exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $154 million [4][6] - Empaveli's sales rose 50% year-over-year to about $35 million in Q4 2025, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $28 million [6][8] - For the full year 2025, Apellis reported preliminary U.S. net product revenues of approximately $689 million, down 3% year over year [11] Market Position and Sales Dynamics - Despite holding over 60% market share in geographic atrophy (GA), Syfovre's revenue decline disappointed investors, especially as Apellis' stock has only gained 2.9% over the past six months compared to the industry's 22.9% growth [5][6] - Apellis delivered over 89,000 commercial vials and nearly 13,000 samples of Syfovre to doctors in Q4 2025 [5] Regulatory and Pipeline Updates - Empaveli has received FDA approval for expanded use in treating C3 glomerulopathy and primary immune complex glomerulonephritis [9] - As of December 31, 2025, Apellis received 267 cumulative patient start forms for Empaveli, indicating over 5% market penetration within five months post-launch [10] - The company has initiated two pivotal phase III studies for Empaveli targeting focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and delayed graft function (DGF) [13] - A mid-stage study of siRNA candidate APL-3007 in combination with Syfovre is ongoing, with top-line data expected in 2027 [14] Financial Position - As of December 31, 2025, Apellis had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaling $466 million, down from $479.2 million as of September 30, 2025 [15]

Group 1 - Top Wall Street analysts have revised their outlook on several prominent companies, indicating a shift in market sentiment [1] - The article suggests that investors consider buying FIVE stock, highlighting the analysts' positive perspective on its potential [1]