Principal Financial Group Reduces $35M in Ascendis Pharma A/S ($ASND)
Principal Financial Group cut its position in Ascendis Pharma A/S by 12.7%, selling 130,010 shares.
Key Points
- Principal Financial Group cut its stake in Ascendis Pharma A/S by 12.7%, reducing its shares by 130,010 to 896,397, valued at $213.9 million as of the latest filing.
- Shares of Ascendis Pharma A/S traded at $238.59 on Wednesday with a market cap of $14.95 billion and a P/E ratio of 25.94.
- Insiders bought shares in recent months and analysts maintain a strong buy consensus, with recent price targets as high as $355.
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Principal Financial Group reduced its stake in Ascendis Pharma A/S, NasdaqGS:ASND, by 12.7%, according to a recent filing with the SEC. The firm sold 130,010 shares, leaving it with 896,397 shares valued at approximately $213.9 million as of the reporting period.
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What Changed in Principal Financial Group's Ascendis Pharma A/S Position
Principal Financial Group trimmed its holdings in Ascendis Pharma A/S by 12.7%, selling 130,010 shares. This reduction brought its total holdings to 896,397 shares, valued at around $213.9 million.
Other Institutional Activity in Ascendis Pharma A/S
RA Capital Management, L.P. maintained its position in Ascendis Pharma A/S with no change in shares, holding 10,281,496 shares worth about $2.35 billion. T. Rowe Price Investment Management, Inc. significantly increased its stake by 4,494,417 shares, resulting in a total of 6,162,042 shares valued at approximately $1.41 billion, a 269.5% increase. Avoro Capital Advisors LLC slightly reduced its holdings by 48,611 shares, now holding 5,062,500 shares valued at $1.16 billion, a 1% decrease. Westfield Capital Management Co LP cut its position by 372,256 shares, holding 4,813,440 shares worth $1.10 billion, a 7.2% decrease. FMR LLC also reduced its stake by 276,710 shares, ending with 3,876,601 shares valued at $886.7 million, a 6.7% decrease.
Ascendis Pharma A/S Stock Up 7.6%
Shares of Ascendis Pharma A/S traded near $238.59 on Wednesday. The company has a market cap of $14.95 billion, a P/E ratio of 25.94, and a beta of 0.92. Its 52-week range spans from $160.86 to $250.74. The stock's 50-day moving average is $231.76, and the 200-day moving average is $217.83. The company maintains a current ratio of 0.996 and a quick ratio of 0.683, with a debt-to-equity ratio of 183.75.
$ASND stock price
Daily closing prices, year to date. Not investment advice.
Recent Earnings
Ascendis Pharma A/S reported revenue of $865.8 million, with a growth rate of 1.44%. The company achieved a net margin of 57.28% and a return on equity of 3.33%. Its earnings per share were $8.79. The next earnings date is set for April 30, 2026.
Earnings drift grade
Outlook vs expectations on the last report — not price action.
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Forward outlook
3 target raises vs 1 cuts.
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EPS & revenue
EPS missed estimates by 471.1%. Revenue missed estimates by 9.0%.
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Profit surprise
EBITDA missed by 9 percent. Operating income missed by 8 percent.
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Pre-earnings setup
Bar was high, analysts already very bullish.
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Analyst signal
3 target raises, 1 target cut.
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Earnings quality
Gross margin up 8.7 points. Operating margin up 113.3 points. Negative free cash flow.
Earnings Call Summary
Ascendis reported first quarter revenue of about $251 million, down slightly from the $276 million consensus expected, but beat earnings expectations at $0.32 per share versus $0.21 expected. YORVIPATH contributed $197 million in revenue but was hit by about $15 million in one-time headwinds. YUVIWEL, their new hypochondroplasia treatment approved in February, saw about 60 children prescribed in just four to five weeks after launch, showing strong unmet need. The company is now profitable with a 22 percent non-IFRS operating margin and plans to give full-year guidance after the next quarter.
Guidance Management did not provide full year revenue or earnings guidance. Instead, they said they will give updated 2026 guidance after Q2 results. They expect strong sequential growth in YORVIPATH in Q2 after one-time disruptions reversed. YUVIWEL launch is tracking much stronger than hoped.
Underwhelming report. Mixed results that may lead to slightly lower expectations.
Insider Buying and Selling at Ascendis Pharma A/S
Recently, insiders have been active in buying shares of Ascendis Pharma A/S. On June 2, 2026, Scott Thomas Smith, EVP & CFO, purchased 100 shares at $219 each. On May 29, 2026, Jean Jacques Bienaime bought 500 shares at $223.12, and Scott Thomas Smith bought 250 shares at $223.32. Earlier, on May 26, 2026, Jean Jacques Bienaime acquired 400 shares at $237.81. However, Flemming Steen Jensen, EVP & Product Supply and Quality, sold 19,460 shares at $238.49 on May 11, 2026.
Analysts Set New Price Targets
On May 19, 2026, Citigroup initiated coverage on Ascendis Pharma with a buy rating and a $355 price target. Evercore ISI Group maintained its buy rating with a $329 target on May 15, 2026. Barclays also maintained a buy rating with a $345 target on May 11, 2026. Wells Fargo kept its buy rating, setting a $326 target on May 8, 2026. Overall, analysts maintain a strong buy consensus, with a mean target price of $292.15 across 18 opinions.
About Ascendis Pharma A/S
Ascendis Pharma A/S is a biopharmaceutical company based in Hellerup, Denmark. It focuses on developing therapies using its TransCon technology for unmet medical needs. The company offers SKYTROFA for pediatric growth hormone deficiency and YORVIPATH for chronic hypoparathyroidism in adults. It is also advancing a pipeline of endocrinology and oncology treatments. Ascendis was founded in 2006 and employs around 1,189 people under the leadership of CEO Jan Moller Mikkelsen.
Bottom Line
Principal Financial Group's reduction in its stake in Ascendis Pharma A/S is a notable change in its investment portfolio. Investors keep a close watch on such filings as they provide insight into institutional confidence. It's important to remember that 13F filings are backward-looking and may not reflect current positions.
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