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CRISPR Therapeutics to Report Q1 Earnings: Is a Beat in the Cards?

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Key Takeaways

  • CRISPR Therapeutics is expected to beat Q1 estimates with improving sales and a narrower loss outlook.
  • CRSP benefits from rising Casgevy uptake, lowering collaboration expenses tied to the Vertex partnership.
  • CRSP advances pipeline shift to in vivo therapies, with CTX310 and new candidates under development.

We expect CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP - Free Report) to surpass expectations when it reports first-quarter 2026 results. The company’s earnings missed estimates by 19.13% in the last reported quarter.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for quarterly sales is pegged at $8.39 million, while that for earnings is pinned at a loss of $1.14 per share. Both metrics indicate improvement over the year-ago period.

Factors Likely to Shape CRSP’s Upcoming Results

CRISPR Therapeutics’ top line currently includes grants and collaboration revenues from its partnership with pharma giant Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX - Free Report) .

The company and Vertex’s one-shot gene therapy, Casgevy, is approved for two blood disorders, namely sickle cell disease (SCD) and transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia (TDT), across the United States and Europe. This therapy is the first and currently the only marketed product in CRISPR Therapeutics’ portfolio.

Per the collaboration agreement, VRTX leads global development, manufacturing and commercialization, and splits program costs and profits in a 60:40 ratio with the company. CRSP records its share of Casgevy sales as an adjustment to collaboration expenses (net) rather than as direct revenues. Sales of the gene therapy have been rising in recent quarters, likely leading to lower collaboration expenses in the to-be-reported quarter.

Investors are likely to have looked for updates on the global regulatory submissions, planned for the first half of 2026, seeking label expansion for Casgevy in patients aged 5-11 years with SCD and TDT. For the FDA submission, Vertex intends to use the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher to significantly cut down the review period to just 1-2 months.

Following the success of Casgevy, which is an ex vivo therapy, the company has shifted focus toward in vivo candidates. CRISPR Therapeutics is currently evaluating its first in vivo candidate CTX310 — designed to target ANGPTL3 for cardiovascular disease — in an early-stage clinical study. It plans to expand this pipeline with additional candidates, including CTX340 for refractory hypertension and CTX460 for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). Investors are likely to have been watching for updates on study initiation timelines, which management previously indicated could begin by the end of this year.

CRSP’s Earnings Surprise History

The biotech firm’s performance has been mixed over the past four quarters. Its earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters and missed the mark on the other two occasions, delivering a negative average surprise of 4.99%.

CRISPR Therapeutics AG Price and EPS Surprise

CRISPR Therapeutics AG Price and EPS Surprise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CRISPR Therapeutics AG price-eps-surprise | CRISPR Therapeutics AG Quote

Year to date, CRISPR’s shares have lost 5% compared with the industry’s 1% decline.

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Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

What Our Model Predicts for CRSP

Our proven model predicts an earnings beat for CRISPR Therapeutics this time around. The combinationofa positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) increases the odds of an earnings beat. This is the case here, as you will see below. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they're reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.

Earnings ESP: CRISPR Therapeutics has an Earnings ESP of +28.88%. The Most Accurate Estimate stands at a loss of 81 cents per share, while the Zacks Consensus Estimate is pegged at a loss of $1.14.

Zacks Rank: CRSP currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Other Stocks With the Favorable Combinations

Here are some other drug/biotech stocks that have the right combination of elements to beat on earnings this time around:

Agenus (AGEN - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +7.69% and a Zacks Rank #1 at present.

Shares of AGEN have risen about 24% year to date. The company’s earnings beat estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, while missing the mark on the other two occasions. Agenus delivered an average surprise of 31.42%.

Inovio Pharmaceuticals (INO - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +3.33% and a Zacks Rank #2 at present.

Shares of INO have lost 34% year to date. The company’s earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 57.94%.

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