ESPR's Q3 Earnings Lag Estimates, Revenues Rise Y/Y, Stock Down

Esperion Therapeutics ESPR incurred a loss of 16 cents per share in the third quarter of 2025, which was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 9 cents. The company had incurred a loss of 15 cents per share in the year-ago quarter.

Esperion generated total revenues of $87.3 million in the third quarter, reflecting a 69% year-over-year increase. Total revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $83 million.

Shares of Esperion were down 15% on Nov. 6, probably due to the mixed results, indicating that the earnings miss might have hurt investors' sentiments.

The stock has increased 13.7% year to date compared to the industry’s rise of 3.7%.

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

These two 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 Q3 Results in Detail

Product revenues, solely from the United States, totaled $40.7 million in the third quarter, up 31% year over year. Product revenues missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $42.9 million.

Esperion recorded collaboration revenues, including combined royalty and partner revenues, of $46.7 million during the third quarter, up 128% year over year. This was driven by increases in royalty sales within partner territories and product sales to the company’s collaboration partners from its supply agreements.

Collaboration revenues beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $40.5 million but missed our model estimate of $47.7 million.

Research and development expenses increased 36% from the year-ago period’s levels to $14.1 million, reflecting higher costs in ongoing clinical studies.

Selling, general and administrative expenses were up 5% year over year to $41.8 million owing to higher legal costs associated with the abbreviated new drug application (“ANDA”) litigation and higher media costs.

As of Sept. 30, 2025, Esperion had cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and investment securities of $92.4 million compared with $86.1 million as of June 30, 2025.

ESPR’s 2025 Guidance

Esperion continues to expect operating expenses in the range of $215-$235 million, including $15 million in non-cash expenses related to stock compensation during 2025.

The company expects to achieve sustainable profitability from the first quarter of 2026.

ESPR's Key Recent Developments

Last month, Esperion nominated ESP-2001, a highly specific allosteric ATP citrate lyase (“ACLY”) inhibitor, as its new preclinical development candidate for the treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis (“PSC”).

The company plans to initiate investigational new drug (“IND”)-enabling studies for ESP-2001 and submit an IND application to the FDA to start clinical studies in 2026.

Esperion recently reached a settlement agreement with Dr. Reddy’s RDY related to patents for Nexletol and Nexlizet. The settlement agreement resolves the patent litigation brought by Esperion on 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, Dr. Reddy’s has 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 better-ranked stocks in the biotech sector are ANI Pharmaceuticals ANIP and Arcutis Biotherapeutics ARQT, each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

In the past 60 days, estimates for ANI Pharmaceuticals’ earnings per share have increased from $7.25 to $7.29 for 2025. During the same time, earnings per share estimates for 2026 have increased from $7.74 to $7.81. Year to date, shares of ANIP have surged 63.2%.

ANI Pharmaceuticals' earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 22.66%.

In the past 60 days, estimates for Arcutis Biotherapeutics’ loss per share have narrowed from 44 cents to 24 cents for 2025. During the same time, earnings per share estimates for 2026 have increased from 9 cents to 41 cents. Year to date, shares of ARQT have rallied 80.1%.

Arcutis Biotherapeutics’ earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, the average surprise being 64.80%.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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