Why Did ESPR Stock Surge 58% In Pre-Market Today?

• Esperion shareholders will receive $3.16 per share in cash at closing, a 58% premium to Thursday’s close.
• The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
• ESPR shares are on track to breach their 100-day moving average for the first time in nearly 2 months.

Shares of Esperion Therapeutics (ESPR) surged 58% in pre-market trading on Friday, with the biotech firm set to go private after signing a $1.1 billion acquisition agreement with healthcare-focused investment firm Archimed.

ESPR shares are on track to breach their 100-day moving average for the first time in nearly 2 months.

Source: TradingView

Deal At A 58% Premium

Under the agreement, Esperion shareholders will receive $3.16 per share in cash at closing, along with contingent value rights that could deliver up to $100 million in additional milestone payments tied to future product sales. The upfront offer represents a 58% premium to the stock’s closing price on Thursday.

The potential milestone payouts are linked to U.S. sales performance of key products, including bempedoic acid-based therapies such as Nexletol and Nexlizet to treat cholesterol, as well as bumetanide-based treatments like Enbumyst to treat edema.

The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, following which, Esperion will become a privately held company and will be delisted from Nasdaq. ESPR debuted on Nasdaq in June 2013.

“Archimed’s acquisition of Esperion provides our shareholders with attractive and immediate upfront value at a compelling premium, while preserving the opportunity to participate in additional upside through contingent milestone payments tied to the future growth of our core cardiometabolic products,” said Sheldon Koenig, CEO of Esperion.

ESPR Stock: What Are Retail Traders Saying?

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits turned ‘bullish’ from ‘neutral’ a day earlier.

However, chatter was largely negative. One user highlighted dilution.

Another user said that it's “sad that it sold to an investment firm and not another biotech.”

Year-to-date, the stock is down more than 50%.

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