Joakim Wijkstrom Sells 30,800 Shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VNDA) Stock

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VNDA) CMO Joakim Wijkstrom sold 30,800 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 2nd. The stock was sold at an average price of $8.27, for a total value of $254,716.00. Following the transaction, the chief marketing officer owned 333,469 shares in the company, valued at $2,757,788.63. This represents a 8.46% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through the SEC website.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Stock Down 3.5%

Vanda Pharmaceuticals stock opened at $7.91 on Friday. The stock has a market capitalization of $467.56 million, a PE ratio of -2.12 and a beta of 0.55. Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. has a 12 month low of $3.81 and a 12 month high of $9.60. The business has a 50 day simple moving average of $7.58 and a 200-day simple moving average of $5.99. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.01, a current ratio of 2.39 and a quick ratio of 2.38.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:VNDA) last announced its earnings results on Wednesday, February 11th. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($2.39) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of ($2.18) by ($0.21). The business had revenue of $57.22 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $59.28 million. Vanda Pharmaceuticals had a negative net margin of 102.02% and a negative return on equity of 23.85%. On average, analysts anticipate that Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc. will post -1.12 EPS for the current fiscal year.

Key Stories Impacting Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Here are the key news stories impacting Vanda Pharmaceuticals this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Truist initiated coverage with a “Buy” and an $18 price target (roughly double current levels), a prominent bullish read that can attract buyers and trading volume. Truist starts Vanda at Buy $18 (Benzinga)
• Positive Sentiment: HC Wainwright reiterated a Buy and published detailed 2027 quarterly EPS forecasts plus a $24 price target — another high upside projection that supports constructive sentiment among growth/biotech investors. HC Wainwright issues estimates, Buy $24 PT
• Positive Sentiment: Regulatory procedure win: the FDA granted a formal evidentiary public hearing on the CDER refusal for Vanda’s sNDA for HETLIOZ in jet‑lag disorder — an uncommon, high‑visibility forum that could improve approval odds if Vanda presents a strong case. Vanda Announces FDA Grants Landmark Hearing for HETLIOZ (PR Newswire)
• Neutral Sentiment: Analyst landscape is mixed: several firms maintain Buy/Overweight calls and high targets (average ~$14.90), but ratings are not unanimous — constructive overall but not a consensus blowout. MarketBeat analyst summary
• Neutral Sentiment: HC Wainwright’s EPS cadence (quarterly 2027 estimates) gives a clearer path for modeling cash burn and potential milestones, useful for valuation but not an immediate catalyst by itself. HC Wainwright research note (MarketBeat)
• Negative Sentiment: Coordinated insider selling: CEO Mihael Polymeropoulos, CFO Kevin Moran, CMO Joakim Wijkstrom and multiple SVPs disclosed substantial sales on/around March 2 (combined proceeds in the low‑millions), which often pressures shares and triggers investor concern about insiders reducing exposure. Vanda’s Top Brass Quietly Unload a Wave of Shares (TipRanks)
• Negative Sentiment: SEC filings now formalize the insider transactions (individual ownership reductions 5–10% for some officers), removing ambiguity about size and timing and increasing short‑term selling pressure as investors parse motives (tax planning vs. signal). SEC filing — CEO ownership disclosure

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Zacks Research downgraded shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Wednesday, February 18th. Weiss Ratings reiterated a “sell (d-)” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Wednesday, January 21st. Cantor Fitzgerald reissued an “overweight” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a report on Wednesday, December 17th. B. Riley Financial lifted their price target on Vanda Pharmaceuticals from $11.00 to $14.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, December 31st. Finally, UBS Group reissued a “buy” rating on shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals in a research note on Monday, January 5th. Five equities research analysts have rated the stock with a Buy rating, two have assigned a Hold rating and one has issued a Sell rating to the stock. According to data from MarketBeat.com, the stock presently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and an average target price of $14.90.

Institutional Investors Weigh In On Vanda Pharmaceuticals

Several hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently made changes to their positions in VNDA. Torren Management LLC purchased a new position in Vanda Pharmaceuticals during the fourth quarter worth approximately $25,000. Russell Investments Group Ltd. grew its holdings in Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 456.6% in the 3rd quarter. Russell Investments Group Ltd. now owns 6,495 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock valued at $32,000 after buying an additional 5,328 shares in the last quarter. CWM LLC increased its stake in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals by 424.6% in the 2nd quarter. CWM LLC now owns 9,359 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $44,000 after acquiring an additional 7,575 shares during the last quarter. Quarry LP purchased a new position in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth $53,000. Finally, Cerity Partners LLC purchased a new position in shares of Vanda Pharmaceuticals during the 2nd quarter worth $69,000. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 88.14% of the company’s stock.

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Company Profile

Vanda Pharmaceuticals Inc is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and rare diseases. The company’s research and development efforts center on sleep-wake regulation, mood disorders, and movement disorders. Vanda’s mission is to address unmet medical needs by advancing novel molecules through clinical trials and regulatory review.

Vanda’s flagship commercial product is Hetlioz (tasimelteon), a melatonin receptor agonist approved by the U.S.