최초입력 2025.07.03 11:06:20
Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co. shares rose on Thursday, lifted by expectations of strong second-quarter earnings on positive analyst reports.
Shares of Daewoong Pharma were trading at 154,700 won ($114) as of 10:40 a.m. on Thursday, up 6.47 percent from the previous session.
The stock climbed as high as 158,000 won, marking an intraday gain of 8.74 percent shortly after the market opened.
The rally was driven by heightened investor interest following a favorable earnings forecast from Korea Investment & Securities Co., which raised its target price for the stock by 14 percent to 250,000 won from 220,000 won.
Analyst Wi Hae-joo noted that second-quarter export data showed botulinum toxin shipments to the U.S. rose 27 percent year-on-year and 40 percent quarter-on-quarter.
Daewoong is estimated to have played a major role in the increase, with growing sales to its U.S. partner Evolus Inc. expected to drive solid quarterly performance.
Daewoong’s second-quarter revenue and operating profit are projected at 343.2 billion won and 57.8 billion won, respectively, up 5 percent and 17 percent from a year earlier.
The report also projected Daewoong will post a record operating margin of about 17 percent, driven by increased exports to Evolus. It further highlighted the company’s progress in expanding new drug sales and improving its gross margin.
Meanwhile, Kosdaq-listed biotech company Aptamer Sciences Inc. surged on Thursday after reports emerged that it may be acquired by Alzheimer’s drug developer AriBio.
Aptamer Sciences stock was trading at 1,595 won as of 10:42 a.m., up 26.89 percent.
The stock even hit the upper limit immediately after the market opened.
The jump is likely to have been triggered by reports that AriBio submitted a letter of intent to acquire Aptamer Sciences.
AriBio is reportedly pursuing the acquisition as part of its plan to list on the Kosdaq market.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical ended the session at 158,800 won, up 9.29 percent. Shares of Aptamer Sciences finished at 1,196 won.
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