Why did IGMS Q4 forecast miss expectations?

IGM Biosciences' Q4 forecast missed expectations due to several key factors:

1. **Strategic Shift and Pipeline Prioritization**: The company's pivot towards becoming a pure-play autoimmune company has led to the discontinuation of the oncology program, aplitabart. This strategic move was necessary to streamline the company's focus and preserve capital for its most promising ventures, but it initially disappointed some investors.
2. **Financial Performance**: IGM Biosciences reported a net loss of $36.65 million for Q4 2024, which contributed to the missed expectations. This financial performance, coupled with the company's accumulated deficit of $980.39 million as of September 30, 2024, indicates significant financial challenges.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Net Income YoY|Net Income|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|IGMS|IGMS.O|IGM Biosciences|2024 Q1|16.006002461683725|-4.9816E7|185|
|IGMS|IGMS.O|IGM Biosciences|2024 Q2|25.644567933812457|-4.7902E7|185|
|IGMS|IGMS.O|IGM Biosciences|2024 Q3|0.9017728951910824|-6.143E7|185|
|IGMS|IGMS.O|IGM Biosciences|2024 Q4|39.621056100173|-3.6647E7|185|

3. **Revenue Shortfall**: The company has consistently fallen short of consensus revenue estimates over the past four quarters, with Q4 being no exception. This trend suggests underlying issues with revenue generation that may have contributed to the forecast miss.
4. **Analyst Ratings and Price Target Adjustments**: Recent analyst ratings and price target adjustments reflect a more cautious outlook. For instance, BMO Capital Markets downgraded IGM Biosciences from Outperform to Market Perform, setting a new price target of $2.00, which is a significant decrease from the previous $21.00. This downgrade may reflect a broader industry skepticism or specific concerns about the company's prospects.

In summary, IGM Biosciences' Q4 forecast miss was likely a result of a combination of strategic shifts, financial performance, revenue shortfall and analyst ratings. These factors together paint a picture of a company facing significant challenges that have impacted its financial outlook.