Abivax Climbs 2.69% on Wednesday, Boosted by Target Revisions and Acquisition Rumors
On Wednesday, January 14th, Abivax's stock price increased by 2.69% to 106.80 euros, driven by course target revisions and unconfirmed speculations about a 15 billion euro offer from Eli Lilly, as reported by La Lettre.
Short-Term Bullish Momentum Confirmed
Abivax's stock price is now above its 50-day moving average, set at 102.21 euros, confirming a short-term bullish momentum. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 53 remains in a neutral zone, showing no immediate signs of overheating, while the stock price is still below the major resistance at 122.40 euros. This dynamic follows a remarkable quarterly performance of 30.09% and an annual increase of 1,642%, placing the stock among the highest gains in Europe for 2025. The company has benefited from a series of positive course target revisions by several banks, including Leerink Partners at 138 euros, Piper Sandler at 142 euros, and Truist Securities at 140 euros, all published last December. On the technical side, the MACD Histogram at -1.37 indicates a slowdown in bullish momentum, while trading volumes remain contained at 0.06% of capital, reflecting investor caution. The Bollinger Bands frame the stock between 89.44 and 125.82 euros, suggesting that the price remains within a normal volatility range. The immediate support is at 93.30 euros, a level that would serve as a floor in case of a correction.
Potential Acquisition by Eli Lilly
According to a report by the French media outlet La Lettre published on January 12, Eli Lilly is working on a potential 15 billion euro operation to acquire the French biotech. This information, not confirmed by either company, caused an initial surge in the stock, which opened up 17.5% at 120 euros before surpassing 132 euros during the session. However, Abivax's shares pared their gains after the French Ministry of Finance stated that it had not been contacted by Eli Lilly regarding a possible offer. These rumors are part of a broader trend of major pharmaceutical companies' appetite for assets specialized in inflammatory bowel diseases. Recent transactions in this sector include Merck's acquisition of Prometheus for 10.8 billion dollars, Roche's purchase of Telavant for 7.1 billion, and Eli Lilly's acquisition of Morphic for 3.2 billion. Additionally, on January 7th, Abivax announced it is expecting the full results of its phase 3 maintenance trial for obefazimod by the end of the second quarter of 2026, with a planned submission for marketing authorization in the United States by the end of 2026.
