A month has gone by since the last earnings report for Sage Therapeutics, Inc. (SAGE). Shares have lost about 17.1% in that time frame, underperforming the S&P 500.
Will the recent negative trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Sage Therapeutics due for a breakout? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.
Sage Therapeutics Q2 Loss Wider Than Expected, Sales Rise Y/Y
Sage Therapeutics reported a loss of $1.70 per share for the second quarter of 2024, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.68. The company had reported a loss of $2.68 per share in the year-ago quarter.
Revenues in the second quarter totaled $8.6 million, significantly up from $2.5 million reported in the year-ago period. The upside can be attributed to the strong uptake for Zurzuvae. Revenues fell slightly short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9 million.
Quarter in Detail
Total revenues in the reported quarter comprised product and collaboration revenues.
Product revenues came in at $0.6 million, recorded from the company’s first marketed drug, Zulresso. The drug’s sales plunged 76% year over year due to cannibalization from Zurzuvae.
Collaboration revenues from the sale of Zurzuvae were $7.4 million in the second quarter of 2024, up 19% on a sequential basis.
Per Sage Therapeutics, more than 1400 prescriptions were shipped and delivered during the quarter.
Research & development (R&D) expenses were $62.6 million, down 35.5% from the year-ago quarter’s levels. The downside was due to restructuring measures, including reduced headcount and lower spending on early-stage pipeline programs.
Selling, general and administrative expenses (SG&A) declined 25.9% from the prior-year quarter’s figure to $56 million. The downside was caused by reduced headcount and reduced expenditures.
The company had $647 million in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities as of Jun 30, 2024, compared with $717 million on Mar 31, 2024. This cash balance, combined with expected funding from collaboration revenues, is expected to support Sage Therapeutics’ ongoing operations into 2026.
2024 Guidance
The company does not expect to receive any milestone payments from collaborations in the remainder of 2024.
The company anticipates operating expenses to decline in 2024 compared with the year-ago period’s level. Also, revenues from Zulresso sales are expected to continue to decline in the upcoming quarters due to the availability of Zurzuvae.
How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?
In the past month, investors have witnessed an upward trend in estimates revision.
VGM Scores
Currently, Sage Therapeutics has a nice Growth Score of B, a grade with the same score on the momentum front. However, the stock was allocated a grade of F on the value side, putting it in the bottom 20% quintile for this investment strategy.
Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of C. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.
Outlook
Estimates have been broadly trending upward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions looks promising. Notably, Sage Therapeutics has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). We expect an in-line return from the stock in the next few months.
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The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
