ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC (ESPR)
Health Care · Cardiovascular biopharmaceuticals / non-statin lipid-lowering agents · NASDAQ
Esperion commercializes NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET, first-in-class non-statin ACLY inhibitors proven to reduce cardiovascular risk in statin-intolerant or statin-unwilling patients with elevated cholesterol.
What ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC does
Esperion is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company that has developed and is commercializing FDA-approved oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for patients with elevated LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk. The company's lead products are NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid) and NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe), which are first-in-class ACLY (ATP Citrate Lyase) inhibitors approved in the U.S., Europe, and other territories. Beyond its approved bempedoic acid franchise, Esperion is advancing a preclinical pipeline of next-generation ACLY inhibitors and pursuing business development to expand its commercial portfolio.
Themes: cardiovascular disease, cholesterol management, LDL-C reduction, statin intolerance, lipid-lowering therapies, biotechnology commercialization
Fundamentals
- Price$3.18 as of 2026-07-15 close
- Market cap$819M as of 2026-07-15
- 1-year return+181.4% 2025-07-15 close $1.13 → 2026-07-15 close $3.18
- P/En/a negative earnings
- Net margin-1.8% as of 2026-08-26
- Gross margin+68.4% as of 2026-08-26
- ROE-59.5% as of 2026-08-26
- Debt / equity0.00 as of 2026-08-26
- Revenue growth (YoY)+61.1% as of 2026-08-26
- Revenue CAGR (3y)+74.8% SEC XBRL
- Beta-0.27 as of 2026-08-26
- Last reported earnings2026-03-10 SEC EDGAR Form 8-K (Item 2.02)
How ESPR compares in its sector
- net profit marginmiddle range 504 covered Health Care peers, as of 2026-08-26
- operating margintop 25% 504 covered Health Care peers, as of 2026-08-26
- gross marginmiddle range 384 covered Health Care peers, as of 2026-08-26
- return on equitymiddle range 576 covered Health Care peers, as of 2026-08-26
- 3-year revenue CAGRtop 10% 402 covered Health Care peers
- free cash flow (absolute dollars, latest fiscal year)middle range 493 covered Health Care peers, as of FY2025
Position among covered Health Care companies that report each metric (minimum 5 peers). A relative position within our covered catalog — not a valuation, quality, or investment judgment. A higher percentile is simply a higher value (for P/E, more expensive on earnings — never "better"). Informational only.
Analyst consensus
- Consensus ratingHold (3.00 mean, 1=Strong Buy…5=Strong Sell) — 3 analysts
- Mean price target$3.20 range $3.16 – $3.28; median $3.16
Analyst estimates, as of 2026-08-19. These are third-party analyst opinions and price targets, aggregated — not a recommendation, prediction, or advice from stocks-llm. Informational only.
Analyst EPS estimate for ESPR
- Consensus EPS estimate-$0.07 next reporting period, as of 2026-08-19
Change over time is not available yet: it needs two readings of the same reporting period at least 30 days apart, and we have been recording these estimates since 2026-08-04. An estimate for a DIFFERENT quarter is not a revision, so a reading from before the last report is never compared with one after it.
The consensus estimate for the next reporting period, and how it has moved between readings of that SAME period. A change is measured only between readings estimating one period — when a company reports, the consensus moves to the next quarter and the two numbers are not comparable. Informational only, not a forecast and not advice.
Key risks (from latest filing)
["Commercial execution risk: reliance on successful market penetration of NEXLETOL and NEXLIZET in the U.S. and Europe to drive revenue growth and achieve profitability","Significant debt and royalty obligations: company carries convertible notes, long-term debt, and royalty sale liabilities totaling approximately $441 million, creating ongoing interest expense burden despite recent profitability approach","Competitive and regulatory risk: non-statin cholesterol management faces competition from established therapies (PCSK9 inhibitors, inclisiran) and GLP-1 agonist obesity drugs which may reduce cardiovascular event risk in high-risk patients"]
What changed in the latest 10-Q
AI-assisted comparison of ESPR's 10-Q filed 2026-05-08 against the prior one filed 2025-11-06.
Management's Discussion & Analysis (MD&A)
- Added:
- Reference to fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (in newer filing dated 2026-05-08)
- Forward-looking statements now include expectations regarding ability to complete transactions contemplated by Merger Agreement and timing thereof
- Forward-looking statements now include parties' ability to satisfy conditions in Merger Agreement
- Forward-looking statements now include potential effects of pending Merger on the company
- Forward-looking statements now include potential to achieve milestones related to contingent payments under CVR
- Forward-looking statements now include expectations regarding ability to continue integrating Corstasis into business
- Forward-looking statements now include expectations regarding ability to commercialize Enbumyst
- Forward-looking statements now include prospects associated with Enbumyst including potential size of congestive heart failure market opportunity
- Added language: 'product acquisitions' to corporate evolution strategy in Overview section
- Details of Corstasis Merger Agreement entered into on March 2, 2026 with completion on April 2, 2026
- Aggregate up-front consideration of $75,000,000 in cash for Corstasis acquisition
- Corstasis equityholders entitled to milestone payments up to $180,000,000 for regulatory approval or commercial sales milestones
- Corstasis equityholders entitled to royalty and licensing-revenue-derived payments from future sales
- Enbumyst described as first and only FDA-approved nasal spray loop diuretic
- Enbumyst received FDA approval in September 2025 for treatment of edema associated with congestive heart failure, hepatic and renal disease in adults
- Merger Agreement with Parent and MergerCo entered into on May 1, 2026
- Removed:
- Reference to fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 (in older filing dated 2025-11-06)
- Removed: Otsuka announced primary endpoint achievement in Phase 3 clinical trial in Japan
- Removed: Expected NHI pricing language; replaced with 'received' NHI pricing
- Removed: Expected approval language for Canada supplemental NDAs (changed to actual approvals received)
- Removed historical incorporation and operations commencement details (Delaware incorporation January 2008, operations commenced April 2008)
- Removed specific net loss figures for three and nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024
- Removed text about funding history and sources (preferred stock, convertible promissory notes, public offerings, indebtedness, collaborations)
- Removed statement that company has never been profitable
- Removed bulleted list of expected expenses and commercialization activities
- Reworded:
- Corporate overview language changed from 'international partnerships and collaborations' to 'product acquisitions, international partnerships and collaborations'
- Product indication language changed from 'unable to take recommended statin therapy' to 'unable or unwilling to take recommended statin therapy'
- Reference to EC approval now includes parenthetical: '(which, with respect to the UK, has been converted to a UK marketing authorization)'
- NUSTENDI product name changed from 'NUSTENDI®' with registered trademark to 'NUSTENDI' without registered trademark symbol in older text
- Otsuka approval narrative changed from announcement of trial results to completed regulatory approval with NHI pricing received (not expected)
- Notes:
- The older filing text appears truncated at the end (cuts off mid-sentence at 'We may seek to fund our operations'), so comparison of any content after that point is not possible
- Newer filing text also appears to be truncated ('On May 1, 2026, we entered into the Merger Agreement with Parent and MergerCo, pursuant to which, subject to the terms and conditions thereof, MergerCo will merge with and into the Company with the Company continuing a' - sentence incomplete)
Risk Factors
- Added:
- Newer filing (2026-05-08) shows exercise of warrants (11,250,000 shares) in Q1 2026 stockholders' deficit statement, with proceeds of $16,217 thousand net of issuance costs
- Newer filing (2026-05-08) shows convertible notes moved from current to long-term liabilities: $97,394 thousand at March 31, 2026 vs. current portion of $54,863 thousand at September 30, 2025 in older filing
- Removed:
- Older filing (2025-11-06) showed nine-month period operations data for September 30, 2025 and 2024; newer filing (2026-05-08) shows only three-month period for March 31, 2026 and 2025
- Older filing (2025-11-06) contained loss on extinguishment of debt of $53,235 thousand for nine-month period ended September 30, 2024; not present in newer filing's three-month period
- Older filing (2025-11-06) included ATM program issuances in stockholders' deficit statement for June 30, 2025 and September 30, 2025; newer filing (2026-05-08) does not show ATM program activity
- Reworded:
- Item 1A Risk Factors page number changed from 43 (older, 2025-11-06) to 39 (newer, 2026-05-08)
- Item 5 Other Information page number changed from 48 (older, 2025-11-06) to 43 (newer, 2026-05-08)
- Item 6 Exhibits page number changed from 49 (older, 2025-11-06) to 44 (newer, 2026-05-08)
- Signatures page number changed from 50 (older, 2025-11-06) to 46 (newer, 2026-05-08)
- Notes:
- The two filings cover different fiscal periods (Q1 2026 vs. nine months ended September 30, 2025), making direct operational comparisons limited
- Balance sheet dates differ: March 31, 2026 (newer) vs. September 30, 2025 (older), representing different points in time
- Financial data structures differ between quarterly and nine-month reporting periods in the two filings
AI-assisted comparison of two SEC filing sections. It describes wording and theme changes only, makes no materiality, legal, or investment judgement, and is not financial advice. Informational only — not financial advice.
Insider activity (SEC Form 4)
0 open-market purchases and 3 open-market sales by insiders in the last 90 days.
- Last 90 days0 buys · 3 sells ($240364) — 3 selling insiders
- Last 180 days0 buys · 3 sells ($240364) — 3 selling insiders
Activity heuristic: net selling (a transparent product heuristic from the counts above, not a prediction or advice)
Most recent open-market transaction: 2026-06-17. As of 2026-08-26.
View full insider trading history → View SEC Form 3/4/5 filingsAsk about ESPR's insider activity →
Only open-market purchases (SEC code P) and sales (code S) are counted here. Option exercises, vesting/awards, gifts, and shares withheld for taxes are excluded — they are compensation or mechanical, not open-market conviction. Sales may be planned and non-discretionary (e.g. a Rule 10b5-1 plan) and are not necessarily bearish; open-market buying is not a recommendation to buy. Informational only — not financial advice.
Short interest (FINRA)
ESPR had 17,401,689 shares of reported short interest as of the 2026-06-30 FINRA settlement date (delayed, bi-monthly; not real-time).
ESPR had 6.76% of its shares outstanding sold short as of the 2026-06-30 FINRA settlement date (percent of FLOAT would be higher — float is not disclosed in the source). FINRA reported 1.74 days to cover at the same settlement.
- Reported short interest (shares) 17,401,689
- Short interest (% of shares outstanding) 6.76%
- Prior settlement (shares) 20,719,122
- Reported change -16.01%
- Days to cover (reported) 1.74
Reported to FINRA as of the 2026-06-30 settlement date. Short interest is reported to FINRA and published on a delayed, bi-monthly schedule (as of a settlement date, disseminated roughly eight business days later) — it is NOT real-time, does not cover every venue or all US trading, and is not a short-squeeze prediction or investment advice. Days-to-cover is the value FINRA reports; percent of float is not shown because the source file carries no share-count denominator — where a percent appears it is of shares OUTSTANDING, the larger base, and is therefore a floor on percent of float. Informational only — not financial advice.
Competitors & peers
- Amgen (AMGN)
- Sanofi (SNY)
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN)
- Novartis (NVS)
- Pfizer (PFE)
- AstraZeneca (AZN)
AI-enriched competitor set. Linked names are companies covered by stocks-llm; other named peers are shown for reference only.
Compare ESPR vs…
Frequently asked questions
What does ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC (ESPR) do?
Esperion is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company that has developed and is commercializing FDA-approved oral, once-daily, non-statin medicines for patients with elevated LDL cholesterol and cardiovascular disease risk. The company's lead products are NEXLETOL (bempedoic acid) and NEXLIZET (bempedoic acid and ezetimibe), which are first-in-class ACLY (ATP Citrate Lyase) inhibitors approved in the U.S., Europe, and other territories.
What sector is ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC (ESPR) in?
ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC (ESPR) is classified in the Health Care sector. Its industry is Cardiovascular biopharmaceuticals / non-statin lipid-lowering agents. It trades on NASDAQ.
Who are ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC's (ESPR) competitors?
Notable peers of ESPERION THERAPEUTICS INC (ESPR) include Amgen, Sanofi, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Novartis and Pfizer. This peer set is informational only — not financial advice.
Where does stocks-llm's data on ESPR come from?
Fundamentals and prices come from market data, as of 2026-08-26; company filings and profile facts come from SEC EDGAR. All figures are delayed daily-close data shown with their as-of date — informational only, not financial advice.
Fundamentals: market data, as of 2026-08-26. Filings: SEC EDGAR. Prices are delayed daily-close data.
Last updated 2026-07-15.
Informational only — NOT financial advice. All figures are delayed daily-close data from SEC EDGAR & market data, shown with their as-of date.