Analyst Ratings February 17, 2026

Baird Begins Coverage of Grail with Outperform, Flags Clinical and Regulatory Catalysts

Analyst assigns $113 price target as Galleri adoption and upcoming study readouts drive near-term attention

By Caleb Monroe GRAL
Baird Begins Coverage of Grail with Outperform, Flags Clinical and Regulatory Catalysts
GRAL

Baird has initiated coverage of Grail, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRAL) with an Outperform rating and a $113.00 price target, implying roughly 16% upside from the referenced share price of $97.50. The firm classified the stock as Speculative Risk and pointed to clinical and regulatory milestones - including an NHS-Galleri study readout and a possible FDA decision - as potential drivers for broader adoption of the Galleri multi-cancer early detection test. Separately, preliminary company results and a raise in target by Canaccord Genuity followed strong volume growth in testing.

Key Points

  • Baird initiated coverage of Grail with an Outperform rating and a $113.00 price target, implying roughly 16% upside from a cited price of $97.50.
  • Grail is a commercial-stage company offering the Galleri multi-cancer early detection blood test, which screens for more than 50 cancer types; the firm recorded 20.53% revenue growth over the last twelve months but remains unprofitable with negative gross profit margins.
  • Upcoming catalysts identified by Baird include the NHS-Galleri study readout and a potential FDA decision on Galleri; Grail’s next earnings report is scheduled for February 19.

Baird has opened coverage on Grail, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRAL) with an Outperform rating and set a price target of $113.00, which the firm says represents about a 16% upside relative to a cited share price of $97.50. The research note carries a Speculative Risk designation.

Grail is described as a commercial-stage healthcare company focused on multi-cancer early detection through its Galleri test. The test uses a blood draw to screen for more than 50 types of cancer. While the company recorded 20.53% revenue growth over the trailing twelve months, InvestingPro data referenced by the coverage shows Grail is not yet profitable and is operating with negative gross profit margins.

Baird highlighted several upcoming events it sees as meaningful for adoption of the Galleri test. Key catalysts listed in the initiation include the readout from the NHS-Galleri study and a potential FDA decision regarding Galleri. The analyst team models robust top-line expansion in the coming years and characterized the addressable market for multi-cancer early detection as large. The note adds that the firm expects continued growth momentum for Grail until those milestones are resolved.

Investors have a near-term date to watch: Grail’s next earnings report is scheduled for February 19, which the Baird note flagged as only two days away from the reference point of the coverage announcement.

In related developments, Grail reported preliminary fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results that exceeded analyst estimates and FactSet consensus, according to the information included in the coverage summary. That performance was attributed primarily to a 35% year-over-year increase in Galleri testing volume.

Following the preliminary results, Canaccord Genuity reiterated its Buy rating on Grail and raised its price target to $105, up from a prior $85 target. Canaccord cited notable progress in expanding both adoption and reimbursement for the Galleri multi-cancer early detection test as the rationale for the higher target and for maintaining its Buy stance.

Taken together, the initiation by Baird and the Canaccord update reflect an analyst community watching both commercial adoption metrics and pending clinical and regulatory outcomes closely. The company’s recent volume growth and top-line momentum sit alongside continuing margin and profitability challenges, as noted by the data on negative gross profit margins.

These developments leave investors balancing a view of rapid testing expansion and increasing reimbursement with the financial reality that Grail has yet to reach profitability. The market reaction to the Baird initiation and the Canaccord revision will likely hinge on the timing and content of the NHS-Galleri readout, any FDA communication, and the company’s next reported financials.

Risks

  • Grail is not yet profitable and carries negative gross profit margins, presenting financial and operational risks for investors - this impacts healthcare and biotech markets.
  • Regulatory and clinical milestones, including the NHS-Galleri study readout and any FDA decision, are material uncertainties that could affect adoption and reimbursement dynamics - this impacts diagnostics and commercial reimbursement sectors.
  • Near-term earnings and execution risks around reported results could influence investor sentiment and valuation until the identified catalysts materialize - this impacts equity markets and investor allocations in healthcare stocks.

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