Insider Trading January 21, 2026

Apellis Pharmaceuticals CMO Completes Share Sale to Fulfill Tax Requirements

Caroline Baumal liquidates shares amidst company revenue updates and analyst rating shifts

By Marcus Reed APLS
Apellis Pharmaceuticals CMO Completes Share Sale to Fulfill Tax Requirements
APLS

Apellis Pharmaceuticals' Chief Medical Officer, Caroline Baumal, sold 1,882 shares of the company's stock to meet tax withholding duties tied to recently released Restricted Stock Units. The transaction took place against a backdrop of mixed fiscal year 2025 revenue results and varied analyst responses to Apellis’ market performance.

Key Points

  • Caroline Baumal, Apellis Pharmaceuticals’ Chief Medical Officer, sold 1,882 shares for $37,250 to fulfill tax withholding related to RSU vesting.
  • Apellis reported preliminary U.S. fiscal year 2025 product revenue of $689 million, which fell short of analyst projections from Goldman Sachs and FactSet.
  • Analyst opinions on Apellis show divergence, with upgrades citing Empaveli’s commercial potential and downgrades reflecting revenue misses and pricing target reductions.

On January 20, 2026, Caroline Baumal, the Chief Medical Officer at Apellis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: APLS), sold 1,882 shares of the company’s common stock, as disclosed in a recent Securities and Exchange Commission filing. The shares exchanged hands at $19.7929 each, culminating in a total transaction value of $37,250.

After this sale, Baumal retains direct ownership of 89,324 shares in Apellis Pharmaceuticals. The purpose of the sale was to satisfy tax withholding obligations related to the vesting of Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) that occurred on January 16, 2026. The transaction was officially documented in a Form 4 filing submitted to the SEC.

In tandem with this insider activity, Apellis Pharmaceuticals revealed preliminary product revenue figures for the U.S. fiscal year 2025 totaling $689 million. This revenue forecast came in lower than prior expectations, missing the Goldman Sachs estimate of $692 million and the FactSet consensus of $698 million. The total revenue comprised $587 million stemming from Syfovre sales, primarily indicated for geographic atrophy, and $102 million attributed to Empaveli sales in approved indications.

Several financial analysts have recently weighed in on Apellis’s commercial outlook. BofA Securities upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy, emphasizing the expanding commercial potential for Empaveli, especially in rare kidney disease markets. This upgrade follows notable early adoption trends for Empaveli in conditions such as C3G and IC-MPGN, highlighted by the submission of 267 new patient start forms.

Additionally, Cantor Fitzgerald has maintained an Overweight rating, pointing to Empaveli's competitive edge over Fabhalta. However, Cantor adjusted its price target downward from $39.00 to $35.00. Meanwhile, Needham reaffirmed a Buy rating but lowered its price target to $28.00, citing ongoing concerns over Syfovre’s growth pace. In contrast, Goldman Sachs retained a Sell rating and a $19.00 price target, reflective of the revenue miss reported.

Risks

  • Revenue for fiscal year 2025 did not meet market expectations, signaling potential sales or market penetration challenges for Apellis products.
  • Price target reductions from analysts such as Cantor Fitzgerald and Needham highlight uncertainties regarding Syfovre’s future growth trajectory.
  • Diverging analyst ratings, including a Sell rating from Goldman Sachs, suggest inconsistent confidence in Apellis’ near-term business performance.

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