Why Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Stock Perked Up Today

What took place

Shares of the commercial-phase biopharma Aurinia Prescription drugs (AUPH .98%) rose by as considerably as 13.7% for the duration of Friday’s investing session. The drugmaker’s inventory perked up nowadays in response to nevertheless another buyout rumor.

This time around, Japanese drug company Otsuka Holdings is rumored to be contemplating a bid, according to a report posted on the membership-dependent Betaville site and subsequently circulated on Twitter. Aurinia, for its portion, has not commented on this takeover speculation.  

So what

Aurinia’s name has floated to the prime of the biopharma rumor mill many periods due to the fact the U.S. Foods and Drug Administration permitted its oral lupus nephritis treatment, Lupkynis, back again in January 2021. So significantly, these rumors have verified to be just that — rumors.

Investors, for that reason, most likely should not get as well thrilled about this most recent buyout speculation. Otsuka, immediately after all, most likely does not have the economic firepower to meet up with Aurinia’s inquiring value. Speaking to this level, Lupkynis is a opportunity $2 billion-a-year earnings generator — implying that $8 billion could be the firm’s ground in regards to a buyout.

As a reasonable-sizing biopharma with a market cap of somewhere around $20 billion at present, Otsuka would probably have a challenging time financing this kind of an acquisition. 

Now what

Aurinia’s shares are most likely to keep on being on the risky side till Lupkynis’ profits begin to dwell up to anticipations. Underscoring this stage, the company’s hottest annual direction terribly skipped Wall Street’s consensus estimate due to the COVID-19 pandemic, creating the biopharma’s shares to eliminate approximately half of their benefit in excess of the prior six months.

While this sharp downturn might establish to be a shopping for option, it really is even now almost certainly a very good concept to wait around for added profits data ahead of acquiring the dip. If Lupkynis is in truth a blockbuster in the making, after all, there ought to be a great deal of upside to this crushed-down biopharma stock around the future several decades. 

George Budwell has no placement in any of the stocks stated. The Motley Idiot has positions in and suggests Aurinia Prescription drugs and Twitter. The Motley Fool has a disclosure plan.