BMO Capital analyst Do Kim lowered his price target on Akcea Therapeutics (AKCA) to $39, noting that while the company's announcement of a Pfizer (PFE) licensing deal yesterday provides "immediate value" to its third lipid asset, the disclosure of a management transition increases the risk of potential disruptions in commercial operations. The analyst still keeps his Outperform rating on the stock, citing significant upside optionality from its "underappreciated pipeline assets" with multiple catalysts expected in the next six months that could unlock value for shareholders.

Bullish option flow detected in Pfizer with 50,393 calls trading, 2x expected, and implied vol increasing over 2 points to 28.83%. Sep-24 27.5 calls and Mar-25 42.5 calls are the most active options, with total volume in those strikes near 27,600 contracts. The Put/Call Ratio is 0.21. Earnings are expected on May 1st.