ESPR's Q4 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Beat, Stock Down

Esperion Therapeutics ESPR reported earnings per share (EPS) of 22 cents for the fourth quarter of 2025, missing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 23 cents. The company had incurred a loss of 10 cents per share (excluding loss on extinguishment of debt) in the year-ago quarter.

Esperion generated total revenues of $168.4 million in the fourth quarter, representing a 144% year-over-year increase. Total revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $161 million.

Shares of Esperion were down around 11% on March 10, probably due to the mixed results, indicating that the earnings miss might have hurt investors' sentiments.

Over the past year, the stock has surged 77.6% compared with the industry’s 2.2% growth.

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Esperion has two FDA-approved drugs in its commercial portfolio, Nexletol (bempedoic acid) and Nexlizet, which are approved for the treatment of elevated LDL-C (bad cholesterol) and for cardiovascular risk reduction. Nexlizet is a combination of bempedoic acid and ezetimibe.

The oral drugs are marketed as Nilemdo and Nustendi in ex-U.S. markets (excluding Japan, where the company has a collaboration with Otsuka Pharmaceuticals) in partnership with Daiichi Sankyo. The company records royalties on sales of its drugs in ex-U.S. markets.

ESPR's Q4 Results in Detail

Product revenues, solely from the United States, totaled $43.7 million in the fourth quarter, up 38% year over year. Product revenues missed our model estimate of $79 million.

Esperion recorded collaboration revenues, including combined royalty and partner revenues, of $124.7 million in the fourth quarter, up 232% year over year. This was driven by a one-time $90 million payment from Otsuka following regulatory approval, a favorable National Health Insurance price listing and higher royalty sales in partner territories and product sales to collaboration partners under supply agreements.

Collaboration revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate and our model estimate of $92 million and $88.3 million, respectively.

Research and development expenses increased 26% from the year-ago period to $13.9 million, reflecting higher costs in ongoing clinical studies.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were up 12% year over year to $41.4 million owing to higher legal costs associated with the abbreviated new drug application (“ANDA”) litigation.

As of Dec. 31, 2025, Esperion had cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investment securities of $167.9 million compared with $92.4 million as of Sept. 30, 2025.

ESPR’s Full-Year 2025 Results

For 2025, Esperion reported total revenues of $403.1 million, which rose 21% year over year.

For full-year 2025, the company recorded a net loss of 11 cents per share.

ESPR’s 2026 Guidance

Esperion expects operating expenses to range from $225 million to $255 million, including $15 million in non-cash expenses related to stock compensation for 2026.

ESPR's Key Recent Developments

Esperion entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Nevada-based, privately held, commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, Corstasis Therapeutics, earlier this month. The transaction is expected to be closed in the second quarter of 2026, subject to fulfillment of customary closing conditions.

The impending acquisition will add Corstasis’ lead product, Enbumyst (bumetanide nasal spray), to Esperion’s commercial portfolio, which is expected to strengthen and expand the company’s cardiovascular franchise.

Enbumyst is the first and only nasal spray diuretic approved by the FDA for the treatment of edema with congestive heart failure (CHF) and hepatic and renal disease in adults.

Per management, the addition of Enbumyst through the acquisition of Corstasis is likely to help Esperion target a potential market opportunity of more than $4 billion in the United States.

In February, Esperion reached a settlement agreement with Alkem Laboratories Ltd. following an earlier agreement with Dr. Reddy’s (RDY), related to patents for Nexletol and Nexlizet. The settlement agreement resolves the patent litigation brought by Esperion against Alkem and RDY’s ANDA, seeking marketing approval for a generic version of each of Nexletol and Nexlizet in the United States before the applicable patents expire.

Per the settlement terms, Alkem Laboratories and Dr. Reddy’s have agreed not to launch a generic version of Nexletol or Nexlizet in the United States before April 19, 2040, except under certain limited conditions that are customarily included in such agreements.

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Esperion Therapeutics, Inc. Quote

ESPR’s Zacks Rank & Stocks to Consider

Esperion currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some top-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are Catalyst Pharmaceuticals CPRX, which currently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and ANI Pharmaceuticals ANIP, which carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Over the past 60 days, estimates for Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ 2026 earnings per share have risen from $2.55 to $2.82. CPRX shares have gained 16.9% over the past year.

Catalyst Pharmaceuticals’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 35.19%.

Over the past 60 days, estimates for ANI Pharmaceuticals’ earnings per share have increased from $8.28 to $9.00 for 2026. Over the past year, shares of ANIP have surged 20%.

ANI Pharmaceuticals' earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, with the average surprise being 22.21%.

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