Aquestive (AQST) to Report Q4 Earnings: Here's What to Expect
Aquestive Therapeutics AQST is expected to report fourth-quarter and full-year 2023 results later this month or early next month. In the last reported quarter, the company beat earnings expectations by 72.73%.
Factors to Consider
Aquestive earns royalty revenues from its five out-licensed marketed products that it supplies under license deals with partners. Aquestive is the exclusive manufacturer of these licensed products. Its revenues from these products are expected to have increased in the fourth quarter due to strong demand trends.
Investor focus on the call is expected to be on updates regarding Aquestive Therapeutics’ key pipeline candidate, Anaphylm (epinephrine) Sublingual Film, which it is developing as a non-invasive oral epinephrine product candidate. It can offer greater convenience to autoinjectors such as EpiPen and Auvi-Q for the emergency treatment of severe allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. In the fourth quarter of 2023, it initiated a pivotal phase III pharmacokinetic (PK) study for Anaphylm with top-line data targeted for first-quarter 2024. The company plans to conduct another pivotal PK study and three supportive PK studies on Anaphylm.
In clinical studies, Anaphylm has been shown to preserve an individual's mean arterial pressure or MAP in contrast to auto-injectors, which have failed to do so. Maintaining MAP supports the necessary pressure for vital organs, thereby allowing them to function normally and lowering the risk of anaphylaxis-related outcomes like losing consciousness.
Aquestive's new drug application (NDA) seeking approval of another pipeline candidate, Libervant (diazepam) Buccal Film, for the acute treatment of intermittent, stereotypic episodes of frequent seizure activity for kids aged 2-5 is under review with the FDA. The regulatory body is expected to give its decision on the NDA on Apr 28, 2024.
Libervant has been approved for patients 12 years of age and older since August 2022. However, the product has not been launched due to an orphan drug market exclusivity block until January 2027 based on an FDA-approved nasal spray product from another company.
Earnings Surprise History
The company’s earnings beat estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing in one. The company has a four-quarter earnings surprise of 70.58%, on average.
Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. Quote
Aquestive Therapeutics’ stock is up 239.5% in the past year compared with a decrease of 1.0% for the industry.
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Earnings Whispers
Our proven model does not conclusively predict an earnings beat for Aquestive Therapeuticsthis time around. The combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. But that is not the case here.
Earnings ESP: Aquestive Therapeutics’ Earnings ESP is 0.00% as the Zacks Consensus Estimate as well as the Most Accurate Estimate is pegged at a loss of 8 cents per share. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: Aquestive Therapeutics has a Zacks Rank #3.
Stocks to Consider
Here are some large drug/biotech stocks that have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this time around:
Moderna MRNA has an Earnings ESP of +37.55% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Moderna’s stock has declined 47.8% in the past year. Moderna topped earnings estimates in three of the last four quarters while missing in one. MRNA delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 31.20%, on average. Moderna is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter results on Feb 22.
Sarepta Therapeutics SRPT has an Earnings ESP of +877.29% and a Zacks Rank #1. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Sarepta Therapeutics’ stock has risen 9.4% in the past year. Sarepta Therapeutics beat earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters. SRPT delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 48.67%, on average.
Amarin Corporation AMRN has an Earnings ESP of +42.86% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Amarin’s stock has declined 35.8% in the past year. Amarin topped earnings estimates in each of the last four quarters. AMRN delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 175.0%, on average. Amarin is scheduled to release its fourth-quarter results on Feb 29.
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