Insider Trading April 2, 2026

Ligand Legal Chief Sells $1.01M in Stock, Exercises Options in Same Session

Chief Legal Officer Andrew Reardon executed a planned sale and option exercise on April 1, 2026; company reports stronger-than-expected Q4 and full-year results

By Ajmal Hussain LGND
Ligand Legal Chief Sells $1.01M in Stock, Exercises Options in Same Session
LGND

Andrew Reardon, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary at Ligand Pharmaceuticals (LGND), sold nearly 5,000 shares on April 1, 2026 under a pre-arranged trading plan and exercised options to acquire 5,000 shares the same day. The transactions leave Reardon with a direct holding of 41,382 shares. The moves come as Ligand posted robust fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results and received analyst upgrades and reiterated buys from Oppenheimer and Stifel.

Key Points

  • Andrew Reardon sold 4,990 shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals on April 1, 2026, for $1,006,224 at weighted average prices between $198.8493 and $204.5026.
  • On the same day Reardon exercised options to buy 5,000 shares at $52.27 each, totaling $261,350; he now directly owns 41,382 shares.
  • Ligand reported stronger-than-expected Q4 2025 results - adjusted EPS $2.02 vs $1.49 estimate and revenue $59.7 million vs $55.6 million estimate - and analysts responded by raising or reiterating positive ratings.

Andrew Reardon, the Chief Legal Officer and Secretary at Ligand Pharmaceuticals INC (NASDAQ: LGND), completed a block sale of 4,990 shares of common stock on April 1, 2026, generating proceeds of $1,006,224. The disposals were executed at a weighted average price range between $198.8493 and $204.5026 per share.

On the same date, Reardon exercised stock options that allowed him to acquire 5,000 shares at an exercise price of $52.27 per share, representing a cash outlay of $261,350 for those newly acquired shares.

After both the sale and the option exercise were recorded, Reardon holds 41,382 shares of Ligand Pharmaceuticals directly.

The public filing indicates the sale of shares was carried out pursuant to a pre-arranged trading plan that Reardon adopted on November 24, 2025.


Ligand’s recent insider activity arrives alongside the company’s strong financial disclosure for the fourth quarter and full year of 2025. For Q4 2025, Ligand reported adjusted earnings per share of $2.02, which exceeded the consensus estimate of $1.49. Quarterly revenue totaled $59.7 million, topping the consensus revenue estimate of $55.6 million.

For the full year, Ligand recorded revenue of $268 million and core revenue of $240 million, with an adjusted EPS of $8.13. The company’s royalty revenue for the fourth quarter was reported at $50.5 million, a figure noted as consistent with Oppenheimer’s projections.

Responding to the quarterly release, Oppenheimer raised its price target on Ligand to $277 while maintaining an Outperform rating. Stifel reiterated a Buy rating and kept its price target at $230.

InvestingPro metrics assign Ligand a "GREAT" financial health score, and the platform lists 11 additional ProTips available to subscribers that include analysis on profitability and valuation multiples.


The filing and the earnings report together document both an insider liquidity event executed under an advance plan and recent operational results that have been met with analyst support. The public record specifies the transaction details, the precise exercise price and proceeds, the timing of the pre-arranged trading plan, and the company’s reported financial metrics for Q4 and the full year 2025.

Risks

  • Insider sale activity could be interpreted by some market participants as liquidity-taking by an executive - this affects investor perception in the equity markets.
  • Future stock performance remains subject to market reactions to earnings and analyst targets - investment banking and equity research sectors may influence short-term price dynamics.
  • The information provided does not detail any subsequent trading plans or intentions beyond the November 24, 2025 plan, leaving the timeline of future insider transactions unclear.

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