Analyst Ratings February 17, 2026

Jefferies Starts Coverage on Foghorn Therapeutics With Buy Rating, $12 Target

Analysts point to mid-2026 SMARCA2 readout and robust preclinical data as catalysts amid recent financing and leadership changes

By Hana Yamamoto FHTX
Jefferies Starts Coverage on Foghorn Therapeutics With Buy Rating, $12 Target
FHTX

Jefferies has begun coverage of Foghorn Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: FHTX) with a Buy rating and a $12.00 price target, down from an earlier $14.00. The company, trading near $5.55 with a market capitalization of about $325 million, is being watched for a mid-2026 phase 1 readout of its SMARCA2 inhibitor FHD-909. Multiple brokerages have issued or reaffirmed Buy ratings while the company completed a $50 million equity raise and named an interim chief financial officer.

Key Points

  • Jefferies initiated coverage on Foghorn Therapeutics (FHTX) with a Buy rating and a $12.00 price target, down from $14.00; analyst targets range from $9 to $14.
  • A mid-2026 limited topline readout from the phase 1 dose-escalation study of FHD-909, a SMARCA2 inhibitor, is the primary near-term catalyst and will inform dose-expansion decisions.
  • Foghorn completed a $50 million equity financing at about a 30% premium, appointed Jeff Sacher as interim CFO via Danforth Advisors, and maintains other preclinical programs including selective EP300 and CBP degraders.

Jefferies opens coverage

Jefferies has initiated coverage on Foghorn Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: FHTX) with a Buy recommendation and set a price target of $12.00, reduced from a previous $14.00. The biotechnology company is trading at $5.55, implying meaningful upside to Jefferies' target based on a market capitalization near $325 million. Analyst price targets across the street span roughly $9 to $14, reflecting a broadly bullish consensus among sell-side firms.

Near-term clinical catalyst

Jefferies identifies a key catalyst for the company in mid-2026, when Foghorn is expected to report limited topline results from the phase 1 dose-escalation study of FHD-909, a SMARCA2 inhibitor. Those topline data will inform the company’s decision on whether to proceed to dose expansion. Jefferies cited strong preclinical data and a clear scientific rationale in support of its positive outlook for the candidate.

Pipeline beyond FHD-909

Outside of the SMARCA2 program, Foghorn is advancing selective degraders targeting EP300 and CBP, which the firm describes as having compelling preclinical activity. The pipeline thus includes multiple preclinical-stage assets alongside the lead clinical-stage candidate.

Balance sheet and cash considerations

According to InvestingPro, Foghorn reports more cash than debt on its balance sheet and a current ratio of 2.16, indicating short-term liquidity above immediate obligations. The same source, however, notes that the company is burning cash quickly, a consideration for investors monitoring runway and financing needs.

Recent financing and corporate moves

Foghorn completed a $50 million equity financing that was priced at a roughly 30% premium, which management characterized as a significant endorsement from biotech investors. In tandem with capital markets activity, the company named Jeff Sacher as interim chief financial officer and treasurer. Sacher is affiliated with Danforth Advisors, LLC and will serve under the firm’s existing consulting agreement while the company searches for a permanent CFO.

Broader analyst interest

Other brokerages have also signaled support for Foghorn. BTIG reiterated a Buy rating and set an $11.00 price target, naming the stock as a top pick for the first half of 2026 in light of the anticipated phase 1 readout for FHD-909. Stifel likewise reaffirmed a Buy rating and maintained a $12.00 price target following the company’s equity raise. Both BTIG and Stifel have either initiated or reiterated coverage while noting the promise of Foghorn’s oncology-focused pipeline. Stifel’s commentary also referenced the prospects of FHD-909 as a program being advanced in partnership with Eli Lilly.

Coverage handoff

Jefferies has transferred lead coverage responsibility for Foghorn to analyst Amin Makarem as it begins tracking the story more closely ahead of the anticipated 2026 milestone.


This report focuses on coverage changes, near-term clinical timing, recent financing and corporate appointments as relevant signals for investors evaluating Foghorn’s progress toward its next clinical inflection point.

Risks

  • Clinical risk tied to the FHD-909 phase 1 readout - the mid-2026 topline may not support dose expansion or desired efficacy/safety outcomes, affecting biotech and healthcare investors.
  • Cash burn and financing risk - despite holding more cash than debt and a current ratio of 2.16, the company is quickly burning through cash, which could pressure future funding needs and market financing activity.
  • Execution and partnership risk - advancement of FHD-909 and other assets, including work noted in collaboration with Eli Lilly, depends on continued operational execution and external partnerships in the biotech sector.

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