Kala Pharmaceuticals Inc logo

Kala Pharmaceuticals Inc(KALA)

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EXPLORE ADVISORIES AND THEIR HISTORY
QUALITY SIGNAL
1-STAR RATING
PASS
LAST CLOSE
$1.49
11/06/2026
(24-hour delay)

Advisory History & Simulated Performance *

*as per simulation (see disclosures)
  • ALL
  • 1Y
  • 1M
  • 1W
  • BUY Advisory
  • SELL Advisory (Profit)
  • SELL Advisory (Loss)
  • Profit
  • Loss
  • PASS (Skip)
Upturn Stock price based on last close iconStock price based on last close
Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Advisory Performance History (Simulated)Advisory Performance History info

Simulated performance—not actual client returns. Excludes advisory subscription fees, trading commissions, and taxes, which would reduce returns. Results depend on calculation assumptions and do not guarantee future outcomes. See Disclosures for full methodology, assumptions, and limitations.

Upturn Advisory & Investor View for KALA

11/06/2026: KALA (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.

Kala Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that has pivoted to focus exclusively on developing its proprietary ophthalmic therapies. By divesting its commercial products to Alcon, the company transformed into a lean, R&D-focused entity centered on its lead candidate, KPI-012. Its core strength lies in its mucus-penetrating particle technology, though it currently lacks commercial revenue. The primary growth story is entirely dependent on the successful clinical development and regulatory approval of its pipeline. Key risks include the binary nature of clinical outcomes, heavy reliance on capital raises, and intense competition. This stock is best suited for high-risk investors who closely monitor clinical trial milestones.

How to Read the Upturn Advisory

The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.

Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.

Investor Fit

Investor styleFitWhy
Growth investorMixed fitThis is a high-risk, high-reward play on clinical trial outcomes rather than proven commercial growth.
Momentum investorStrong fit while signal remains positiveMomentum may build around positive clinical data readouts or regulatory milestones.
Value investorWeak fitThe company lacks stable cash flows or earnings, making traditional value metrics inapplicable.
Dividend investorWeak fitThe company does not pay dividends and prioritizes capital reinvestment in R&D.
Low-risk investorWeak fitClinical-stage biotechnology stocks inherently carry high volatility and significant risk of capital loss.

Risk Profile

Risk factorLevelWhy it matters
Price volatilityHighClinical readouts and binary regulatory events often lead to extreme stock price fluctuations.
Valuation riskHighValuations for pre-revenue biotech companies are highly speculative and prone to rapid reassessments.
Competition risk (Ophthalmic therapies)Medium / highThe company competes against well-funded pharmaceutical firms with larger R&D and commercial capabilities.
Business qualityMediumThe business relies on the successful scientific execution of its proprietary technology.
Dividend incomeLow / noneThere is no income component to the investment thesis.
Execution riskHighFailure to successfully navigate clinical trials or secure regulatory approval would severely impact the company.

Price Behavior

Steep Decline
PRICE PATH

Steep Decline

The stock price has dropped sharply with strong downward pressure.

Extreme Price Shocks
PRICE STABILITY

Extreme Price Shocks

The stock has experienced exceptionally large and disruptive price movements during the period.

Analysis of Past Performance

Type Stock
Historic Profit -66.21%
Avg. Invested days 31
Today’s Advisory PASS
Upturn Advisory Rating upturn star rating icon
Upturn Advisory Performance Upturn Advisory Performance icon 1.0
Stock Returns Performance Upturn Returns Performance icon 1.0
Upturn Profits based on simulation icon Profits based on simulation
Upturn last close icon Last Close 11/06/2026

Upturn Scorecard

Upturn Star Rating

★★★★★
KALA receives a 2-star rating, reflecting soft or weak scores across the available pillars. The rating is constrained by weak unit economics, and weak price momentum.

Company Fundamentals

★★★★★
KALA has moderate overall fundamentals (3 stars), with moderate financial health, moderate growth momentum, and moderate ownership. In FY2025 versus FY2024, solid earnings growth (+29.9%) is partially offset by soft cash generation (FCF margin 0.0%), slightly negative revenue growth (+0.0%), soft profitability (net margin 0.0%).

Financial Health Rating

★★★★★
KALA's financial health is supported by strong efficiency, including operating-expense and cost-of-revenue discipline (opex 0.0% of revenue). Profitability is weak (1 stars), which helps explain the 3-star overall score.

Growth Momentum Score

★★★★★
Earnings growth is KALA's strongest growth driver at +29.9% FY2025 versus FY2024 (solid, 4 stars). By comparison, while revenue growth (+0.0%, slightly negative) and free-cash-flow growth (-8.1%, negative) hold the profile back, so recent growth is not broad-based across the business.

Ownership

★★★★★
Institutional ownership is 4.2% (soft) and 99.7% of outstanding shares are publicly tradable (strong). Insider ownership of 6.24% supports management-shareholder alignment.

Top 5 Institutional Investors

Vanguard Capital Management, LLC 1.14%
Geode Capital Management, LLC 0.75%
Vanguard Fiduciary Trust Co 0.52%
State Street Corp 0.46%
BlackRock Inc 0.37%

Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)

★★★★★
KALA generates approximately $-0 of gross profit, $-0 of operating income, and $-0 of free cash flow for every $1,000 of revenue. Based on FY2025 results. Weak margins explain the 1-star rating, with weak cash conversion and strong capital efficiency.

Economic Dimensions

★★★★★
Effective Tax Rate: 0.00%

Quantitative Style Profile

★★★★★
KALA has a liquid, relatively low-volatility profile. Weak momentum is the primary drawback, while soft valuation.

Style Classification

Quality Focused

Low VolatilitySmall / Mid Cap RiskHighly Liquid / Institution-Friendly

Key Highlights

Company Size Small-Cap Stock
Market Capitalization 3.02M USD
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 1.5
Price to earnings Ratio -
1Y Target Price 1.5
Volume (30-day avg) 2.7M shares
Beta -2.2
52 Weeks Range 0.11 - 95.50
Updated Date 11/07/2026
52 Weeks Range 0.11 - 95.50
Updated Date 11/07/2026
Dividends yield (FY) -
Basic EPS (TTM) -10.71

How Company Makes Money

Business areaWhat it includesRetail investor read
Clinical-Stage R&DResearch and clinical development of ophthalmic therapeutic candidates like KPI-012.The company currently makes no revenue and burns cash to fund the development of its future medical products.

Valuation

Trailing PE -
Forward PE -
Enterprise Value -4.61M
Price to Sales(TTM) 23.75
Enterprise Value -4.61M
Price to Sales(TTM) 23.75
Enterprise Value to Revenue 0.04
Enterprise Value to EBITDA -0.16
Shares Outstanding 19.34M
Shares Floating 19.28M
Shares Outstanding 19.34M
Shares Floating 19.28M
Percent Insiders 6.24
Percent Institutions 4.21

Financial Metrics

🧭 Investment Snapshot

Total Revenue (Scale)

Information icon Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.

Net Income (Profit)

Information icon Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.

Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)

Information icon Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.

📈 Growth & Strength

Operating Income (Core Profit)

Information icon Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.

EBITDA (Cash Earnings)

Information icon Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.

Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)

Information icon Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.

🛡️ Financial Safety

Cash (Liquidity Buffer)

Information icon Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.

Total Debt (Leverage Risk)

Information icon Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.

Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)

Information icon Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.

🧱 Balance Sheet Strength

Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)

Information icon Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.

Total Assets (Asset Base)

Information icon The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.

Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)

Information icon Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.

⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors

Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)

Information icon Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.

Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)

Information icon Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.

Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)

Information icon Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.

Form CRS provides a relationship summary of our automated advisory services, flat subscription fees, and conflicts of interest. Form ADV Part 2A brochure contains complete details on services, billing, and disclosures. If any summary differs from our current regulatory filings, the filed Form ADV controls.