Expanding Global Oncology Markets Will Broaden Patient Access

Key Takeaways

• Strong market presence and expanding portfolio in oncology therapeutics drive durable revenue growth and greater diversification, supported by successful product launches and pipeline advancements.
  
• Robust financial position and disciplined capital allocation enable ongoing investment in innovation, global expansion, and strategic partnerships for sustained long-term growth.
  
• Heavy reliance on one drug, margin pressures, pipeline uncertainty, rising competition, and regulatory risks collectively threaten diversification, profitability, and long-term growth.

Catalysts

An oncology company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of new medicines for difficult-to-treat cancers in the United States.

• The recent introduction and rapid uptake of CABOMETYX in neuroendocrine tumors, combined with its continued strength and market leadership in renal cell carcinoma, signals an expanding patient base in tumor types with high unmet need; this is poised to drive strong durable revenue growth as aging populations and rising cancer incidence increase long-term demand for oncology therapeutics.
  
• Positive top-line results from pivotal trials (e.g., STELLAR-303 for zanzalintinib in colorectal cancer) and an advancing late-stage pipeline provide significant potential for new product approvals and label expansions, supporting future earnings growth and further diversifying revenue streams as precision medicine and targeted therapy adoption accelerates across global oncology markets.
  
• Expansion into emerging global markets-exemplified by the European Commission's approval of CABOMETYX for NET and ongoing international partnerships-should broaden accessible patient populations, contributing to long-term revenue growth as healthcare infrastructure and access to advanced therapies improve globally.
  
• The company's substantial free cash flow, strong balance sheet, and disciplined capital allocation (including aggressive share repurchases and prioritization of high-probability, high-value R&D programs) position Exelixis to invest in next-generation discovery and strategic partnerships, which has the potential to improve operating leverage and net margins over time as the product portfolio scales.
  
• Exelixis's leadership in small molecule and biologics innovation, exemplified by a progressing early-stage pipeline (XL309, XB010, XB628, XB371), creates multiple potential future catalysts for product launches, enabling the company to maintain relevance and capture increasing share within the expanding biomarker-driven and combination therapy oncology market, thus supporting both top-line growth and long-term resilience in earnings.

Exelixis Future Earnings and Revenue Growth

Assumptions

• Analysts are assuming Exelixis's revenue will grow by 11.9% annually over the next 3 years.
• Analysts assume that profit margins will increase from 27.0% today to 37.0% in 3 years time.
• Analysts expect earnings to reach $1.2 billion (and earnings per share of $4.15) by about August 2028, up from $602.3 million today. However, there is a considerable amount of disagreement amongst the analysts with the most bullish expecting $1.6 billion in earnings, and the most bearish expecting $607.3 million.
• In order for the above numbers to justify the analysts price target, the company would need to trade at a PE ratio of 10.6x on those 2028 earnings, down from 16.8x today. This future PE is lower than the current PE for the US Biotechs industry at 16.8x.
• Analysts expect the number of shares outstanding to decline by 5.73% per year for the next 3 years.
• To value all of this in today's terms, we will use a discount rate of 6.78%, as per the Simply Wall St company report.

Exelixis Future Earnings Per Share Growth

Risks

• Cabozantinib (CABOMETYX) remains the dominant revenue driver, with over 90% of total revenues still dependent on this single product; any future loss of exclusivity or generic erosion post-patent expiry would likely lead to steep drops in revenue and net margins.
  
• The increasing proportion of 340B sales (over 24% of total volume, up 4 percentage points year-over-year) means a greater share of revenues is subject to steep discounts, placing sustained pressure on gross-to-net and ultimately compressing operating margins over time.
  
• Exelixis' decision not to advance certain pivotal trials (e.g., STELLAR-305 in head and neck cancer) highlights risks that pipeline assets may not achieve regulatory or commercial success, potentially dampening future revenue diversification and earnings growth if new indications or drugs underwhelm.
  
• Heightened competition in core markets-including the potential introduction of next-generation TKIs, immunotherapies, or novel agents in RCC, colorectal, and NETs-could erode Exelixis' market share, further pressuring topline growth and profitability.
  
• Ongoing industry and regulatory headwinds, such as expansion of government drug pricing negotiations, rising gross-to-net deductions, and regulatory scrutiny over combination therapies, could restrict Exelixis' pricing power and reimbursement rates, limiting long-term revenue growth and net income expansion.

Valuation

• The analysts have a consensus price target of $44.737 for Exelixis based on their expectations of its future earnings growth, profit margins and other risk factors. However, there is a degree of disagreement amongst analysts, with the most bullish reporting a price target of $60.0, and the most bearish reporting a price target of just $36.0.
• In order for you to agree with the analyst's consensus, you'd need to believe that by 2028, revenues will be $3.1 billion, earnings will come to $1.2 billion, and it would be trading on a PE ratio of 10.6x, assuming you use a discount rate of 6.8%.
• Given the current share price of $37.52, the analyst price target of $44.74 is 16.1% higher.
• We always encourage you to reach your own conclusions though. So sense check these analyst numbers against your own assumptions and expectations based on your understanding of the business and what you believe is probable.