ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACAD) Releases Earnings Results, Misses Estimates By $0.02 EPS

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ACAD) posted its quarterly earnings data on Wednesday. The biopharmaceutical company reported $0.02 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.04 by ($0.02), Zacks reports. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals had a return on equity of 10.23% and a net margin of 34.30%.The business had revenue of $268.10 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $280.25 million. During the same period in the previous year, the business posted $0.11 EPS. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 9.7% compared to the same quarter last year.

Here are the key takeaways from ACADIA Pharmaceuticals’ conference call:

• ACADIA reported a solid start to 2026 with $268 million in Q1 revenue (11% adjusted YoY growth), reaffirmed full-year 2026 guidance, and a strong cash position of $851 million, supporting execution and BD flexibility.
• DAYBUE STIX is now broadly available in the U.S.; early uptake exceeded expectations (≈250 prescriptions in Q1, ~30% treatment‑naive or restarts) and management expects the new formulation to re‑engage patients and drive further growth.
• The upcoming remlifanserin Phase II readout (Aug–Oct 2026) is highlighted as the company’s most important near‑term catalyst, with management citing ~\$4 billion peak sales potential for remlifanserin across ADP and LBD psychosis if results are favorable.
• International regulatory and clinical timelines advanced: trofinetide’s European reexamination is expected to conclude by late June and the Japan Phase III readout is now anticipated in Sep–Nov 2026, creating additional potential catalysts but with typical regulatory uncertainty.
• Executive transition risk: EVPR&D Elizabeth Thompson announced retirement by year‑end (she will lead through key readouts), introducing potential leadership continuity risk during a critical period for late‑stage programs.

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Trading Up 0.4%

ACAD stock traded up $0.09 on Friday, hitting $22.65. The company’s stock had a trading volume of 497,576 shares, compared to its average volume of 1,707,793. ACADIA Pharmaceuticals has a 1 year low of $16.76 and a 1 year high of $28.35. The stock has a market cap of $3.88 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 10.27, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 22.40 and a beta of 0.86. The firm has a 50 day moving average of $22.06 and a two-hundred day moving average of $23.90.

Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades

A number of research firms have recently weighed in on ACAD. Wolfe Research started coverage on ACADIA Pharmaceuticals in a research report on Monday, February 23rd. They set an “outperform” rating and a $33.00 price objective on the stock. Citizens Jmp upped their target price on shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from $34.00 to $35.00 and gave the stock a “market outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Mizuho upgraded ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from a “neutral” rating to an “outperform” rating and raised their price target for the company from $29.00 to $35.00 in a report on Monday, February 23rd. Stifel Nicolaus decreased their target price on shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from $25.00 to $24.00 and set a “hold” rating on the stock in a research report on Thursday, February 26th. Finally, Weiss Ratings downgraded shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals from a “hold (c+)” rating to a “hold (c)” rating in a research note on Friday, May 1st. One analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, fourteen have given a Buy rating, four have given a Hold rating and one has given a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $31.21.

Key Headlines Impacting ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

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

• Positive Sentiment: Strong commercial momentum: management said DAYBUE sales were $101M in Q1 and described early demand for DAYBUE STIX as encouraging — a clear revenue driver that supports near‑term growth assumptions. Acadia Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
• Positive Sentiment: Guidance reaffirmed: Acadia reiterated FY2026 revenue guidance in its earnings release ($1.2B–$1.3B range reported), which removes near‑term uncertainty around the company’s top‑line outlook. Guidance Reaffirmation
• Neutral Sentiment: Investor materials and call access: the company published its Q1 slide deck and the earnings call transcript is available (useful for digging into pipeline and commercialization detail but not an immediate catalyst). Slide Deck Listen to Conference Call
• Negative Sentiment: Earnings and revenue missed consensus: ACAD reported $0.02 EPS vs. $0.04 expected and $268.1M revenue vs. ~$280M expected; EPS declined year‑over‑year — results that typically pressure sentiment and near‑term multiple. Zacks: Q1 Earnings & Revenues Miss
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst estimate cuts: HC Wainwright trimmed EPS forecasts across multiple quarters and years (Q3/Q4 FY2026 and FY2026–2030 minor reductions) — the firm kept a Buy rating and $37 target but lower models reduce upside expectations and can weigh on the stock. (Source summary via MarketBeat.) HC Wainwright Estimate Changes

Insiders Place Their Bets

In other news, EVP Mark C. Schneyer sold 3,506 shares of the stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 4th. The stock was sold at an average price of $21.79, for a total transaction of $76,395.74. Following the completion of the transaction, the executive vice president directly owned 66,145 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $1,441,299.55. This represents a 5.03% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Also, insider James Kihara sold 1,332 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, May 4th. The shares were sold at an average price of $21.79, for a total value of $29,024.28. Following the completion of the sale, the insider directly owned 29,129 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $634,720.91. This represents a 4.37% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 15,527 shares of company stock worth $350,917. Company insiders own 26.20% of the company’s stock.

Institutional Inflows and Outflows

Institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the stock. Amundi grew its holdings in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals by 10.1% in the 3rd quarter. Amundi now owns 22,455 shares of the biopharmaceutical company’s stock worth $485,000 after acquiring an additional 2,054 shares during the period. Vestcor Inc acquired a new stake in ACADIA Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at $482,000. Magnetar Financial LLC purchased a new position in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals in the third quarter valued at $481,000. Entropy Technologies LP acquired a new position in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals during the 4th quarter worth $342,000. Finally, Mariner LLC acquired a new position in shares of ACADIA Pharmaceuticals during the 3rd quarter worth $312,000. 96.71% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

About ACADIA Pharmaceuticals

ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of innovative therapies for central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Established in 1993 and headquartered in San Diego, California, ACADIA’s research centers concentrate on conditions with significant unmet medical needs, including Parkinson’s disease psychosis, Alzheimer’s disease psychosis, and schizophrenia. The company utilizes a range of scientific platforms, including selective receptor modulation and precision-targeted compounds, to advance its portfolio of small-molecule therapeutics.

The company’s flagship product, NUPLAZID® (pimavanserin), received U.S.