Analyst Ratings February 20, 2026

Barclays Starts Coverage of Amgen With Equalweight Rating, $185 Target

Analyst flags long timeline for MARITIME readout even as fiscal 2026 guidance and Repatha momentum support a neutral stance

By Marcus Reed AMGN
Barclays Starts Coverage of Amgen With Equalweight Rating, $185 Target
AMGN

Barclays has begun coverage of Amgen Inc. with an Equalweight rating and a $185 price target. While the firm cites solid fiscal 2026 guidance and expected momentum for Repatha after VESALIUS, analyst Carter Gould warned that the Phase 3 MARITIME trial readout is far off, leaving important questions unresolved. Market observers show divergent views on Amgen, with multiple firms issuing a wide range of price targets and ratings.

Key Points

  • Barclays initiated coverage of Amgen with an Equalweight rating and a $185 price target; shares trade at $375.50 with a $202.4 billion market cap.
  • Barclays cites a distant Phase 3 MARITIME trial readout as a key uncertainty and states its view on the trial is likely more negative than consensus; however, the firm also points to strong fiscal 2026 guidance and expected Repatha momentum following VESALIUS.
  • Multiple analysts hold widely varying views on Amgen, with price targets ranging from $304 to $432 and ratings from Underperform to Overweight, reflecting disagreement on the company’s near-term catalysts and longer-term growth.

Barclays has initiated coverage on Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN), assigning an Equalweight rating and establishing a price objective of $185.00, the bank said Thursday. The shares are trading at $375.50 and the company carries a market capitalization of $202.4 billion. Data from InvestingPro indicates the stock sits slightly above its Fair Value estimate.

In its initial coverage note, analyst Carter Gould pointed to the extended timeline for the Phase 3 MARITIME trial readout, saying that key questions tied to the study will remain unanswered for a prolonged period. Barclays added that its view on MARITIME is likely more negative than the broader market consensus.

Despite the uncertainty around MARITIME, Barclays called out two supporting factors that underpin its Equalweight rating. First, the firm described Amgen's fiscal 2026 guidance as strong. Second, Barclays expects continued momentum for the cholesterol drug Repatha following last year’s VESALIUS data. Together, those elements informed the bank’s neutral stance on the stock.

For investors seeking a deeper dive into Amgen's valuation and growth prospects, Barclays' conclusions are summarized in a Pro Research Report, which is available through InvestingPro alongside coverage of more than 1,400 other U.S. equities.


Amgen has been the subject of recent analyst activity, reflecting a wide range of views about the company’s near-term performance and longer-term potential:

  • Guggenheim raised its price target to $347 after Amgen delivered a strong fourth-quarter earnings report that beat both the firm’s and consensus expectations.
  • Piper Sandler increased its target to $432 while retaining an Overweight rating, citing expansion opportunities for products including Uplizna and AMG 104.
  • TD Cowen reiterated a Buy rating with a $420 price target and highlighted the promise of dazodalibep for treating Sjogren’s Syndrome.
  • Freedom Capital Markets downgraded Amgen from Buy to Hold despite the stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results, and set a new target of $375.
  • BofA Securities kept an Underperform rating and a $304 price target, pointing to several upcoming catalysts that could affect Amgen’s trajectory.

These moves underline the divergent analyst perspectives on Amgen's growth prospects and strategic direction, producing a broad span of price targets and ratings across the sell-side.

Risks

  • The Phase 3 MARITIME trial readout is distant, meaning material clinical uncertainty will persist and could affect investor expectations - this primarily impacts biotech and pharmaceutical equities.
  • Divergent analyst opinions and a wide range of price targets create valuation uncertainty for Amgen, which may increase stock volatility in healthcare and broader equity markets.
  • Several upcoming catalysts cited by BofA could alter the company’s trajectory; the timing and outcome of those events remain uncertain and may influence investor sentiment in the biotech sector.

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