Cue Biopharma (NASDAQ:CUE) Upgraded by Zacks Research to “Hold” Rating

Zacks Research upgraded shares of Cue Biopharma (NASDAQ:CUE) to a hold rating in a research report sent to investors on Monday morning,Zacks reports.

CUE has been the topic of a number of other reports. B. Riley Financial began coverage on shares of Cue Biopharma in a research note on Friday. They issued a “buy” rating and a $83.00 price target on the stock. Weiss Ratings cut Cue Biopharma from a “sell (d-)” rating to a “sell (e+)” rating in a report on Thursday, August 27th. Finally, Wall Street Zen downgraded Cue Biopharma from a “hold” rating to a “sell” rating in a research report on Sunday, August 23rd. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Buy rating, one has issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company’s stock. According to MarketBeat.com, the stock has an average rating of “Hold” and an average price target of $83.00.

Cue Biopharma Stock Performance

Cue Biopharma stock opened at $30.90 on Monday. The stock has a market capitalization of $224.33 million, a P/E ratio of -1.14 and a beta of 2.45. The company’s fifty day moving average price is $29.16 and its 200 day moving average price is $98.05. Cue Biopharma has a 1 year low of $4.97 and a 1 year high of $45.50.

Cue Biopharma (NASDAQ:CUE) last posted its quarterly earnings data on Friday, August 14th. The company reported ($24.14) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of ($1.69) by ($22.45). Cue Biopharma had a negative net margin of 435.83% and a negative return on equity of 620.06%. The company had revenue of $7.88 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $3.00 million. Sell-side analysts predict that Cue Biopharma will post -32.12 EPS for the current year.

Insider Activity

In other Cue Biopharma news, CEO Shao-Lee Lin sold 18,258 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $28.62, for a total transaction of $522,543.96. Following the completion of the sale, the chief executive officer owned 705,995 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $20,205,576.90. This trade represents a 2.52% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through the SEC website. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. Also, insider Sumita Ray sold 8,829 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, August 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $30.09, for a total value of $265,664.61. Following the sale, the insider directly owned 118,545 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $3,567,019.05. This trade represents a 6.93% decrease in their position. The SEC filing for this sale provides additional information. The sale was made to cover tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of equity awards. In the last 90 days, insiders have sold 72,715 shares of company stock valued at $2,041,555. 14.56% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

Hedge Funds Weigh In On Cue Biopharma

Hedge funds have recently modified their holdings of the business. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in Cue Biopharma in the 2nd quarter valued at about $1,824,000. ADAR1 Capital Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Cue Biopharma during the second quarter valued at about $1,742,000. Citadel Advisors LLC raised its stake in shares of Cue Biopharma by 301.8% in the 2nd quarter. Citadel Advisors LLC now owns 25,633 shares of the company’s stock valued at $809,000 after acquiring an additional 38,333 shares during the period. Texas Capital Bank Wealth Management Services Inc acquired a new position in shares of Cue Biopharma in the 2nd quarter worth approximately $722,000. Finally, Persistent Asset Partners Ltd purchased a new position in shares of Cue Biopharma during the 2nd quarter worth approximately $389,000. 35.04% of the stock is currently owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Key Stories Impacting Cue Biopharma

Here are the key news stories impacting Cue Biopharma this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Strong Phase 2 efficacy: CUE-221 met the primary goal in a CSU study, with 54% of patients achieving complete hive resolution after 12 weeks. The result was reported as statistically significant versus Xolair, with p<0.005, supporting the candidate’s potential as a differentiated treatment. Cue Biopharma Meets Primary Goal in a Phase 2 Study of Chronic Hives Disease Drug Candidate
• Positive Sentiment: Large commercial opportunity and upcoming catalysts: Analysts highlighted CUE-221’s dual mechanism of action, its apparent efficacy relative to Xolair, and potential applications in CSU and food allergy. Investors may look ahead to 36-week pharmacokinetic and IgE data in 2026, followed by planned global Phase 2b/3 studies. Cue Biopharma: Initiating Buy Based on CUE-221 Trial Win
• Neutral Sentiment: Volatile market reaction: Coverage described an initial surge in CUE shares followed by swings as investors took profits. The unusually high trading volume reflects substantial repositioning after the clinical announcement rather than a new fundamental setback. Cue Biopharma Stock Swings After Positive CUE-221 Phase 2 Data
• Negative Sentiment: Execution and valuation risks remain: Despite the positive topline data, some coverage characterized the share-price decline after the initial rally as unwarranted, while the pullback underscores investor concerns about profit-taking, clinical-development risk, and the need to confirm durability in longer follow-up and later-stage trials. An Orexin Drug’s Proof of Concept in ADHD; Cue’s Unwarranted Share Slide

About Cue Biopharma

Cue Biopharma, Inc is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapeutics that selectively activate and regulate antigen-specific T cells inside the body. Its approach is designed to direct the immune system toward cancer cells while potentially reducing the broad immune activation and toxicity associated with conventional immunotherapies.

The company’s proprietary Immuno-STAT (Selective Targeting of Antigens for Remodeling of T cells) platform uses biologic molecules that combine peptide-major histocompatibility complex components with immune-modulating signals.