Nautilus Biotechnology Reports First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Rhea-AI Summary
Nautilus Biotechnology (NASDAQ: NAUT) reported Q1 2026 results and business progress for the quarter ended March 31, 2026. Key highlights include launching an Iterative Mapping Early Access Program with Baylor College of Medicine as the first customer, appointment of Amber Faust as VP of Global Sales, and platform development for a next-generation assay.
Financials: Operating expenses were $16.1M, down 14% year-over-year; net loss was $14.7M versus $16.6M a year earlier; cash and investments totaled $143.4M as of March 31, 2026.
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
Positive
- Operating expenses decreased by 14% ($2.7M)
- Cash, cash equivalents, and investments of $143.4M
- Launched Iterative Mapping Early Access Program with Baylor College of Medicine participation
- Appointed Amber Faust as VP of Global Sales to lead commercial expansion
Negative
- Company remains unprofitable with a net loss of $14.7M in Q1 2026
- Commercial launch still pending; current engagement is an Early Access program
News Market Reaction – NAUT
On the day this news was published, NAUT gained 0.78%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction. Argus tracked a peak move of +8.2% during that session. Argus tracked a trough of -4.3% from its starting point during tracking. Our momentum scanner triggered 5 alerts that day, indicating moderate trading interest and price volatility. This price movement added approximately $3M to the company's valuation, bringing the market cap to $327.80M at that time.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
Momentum scanner data indicate NAUT’s move was stock-specific. Among key peers, CSBR (+6.92%), IPA (+3.5%), EXOZ (+1.2%), and SEER (+1.56%) were up, while QNCX declined (-2.27%), a mixed backdrop rather than a unified sector trend.
Previous Earnings Reports
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-26 | Q4/FY25 earnings | Negative | -16.3% | Reported FY2025 results, lower expenses but guided to higher 2026 operating spend. |
| 2025-10-28 | Q3 2025 earnings | Positive | +5.9% | Q3 2025 update with reduced operating expenses, narrower loss, and solid cash. |
| 2025-07-31 | Q2 2025 earnings | Positive | +0.0% | Q2 2025 results showing expense cuts, improved loss, and new collaborations. |
| 2025-04-29 | Q1 2025 earnings | Positive | +8.0% | Q1 2025 update with lower operating expenses and improved net loss metrics. |
| 2025-02-27 | Q4/FY24 earnings | Negative | -18.2% | FY2024 results with wider losses, workforce reduction, and launch delay to late 2026. |
Earnings updates often bring cost-control progress but historically skew toward negative or volatile next-day moves.
Over the last five earnings releases from Feb 2024 through Feb 2026, Nautilus repeatedly highlighted lower operating expenses, narrowing net losses, and a strong cash balance, while advancing its Tau proteoform work and Voyager platform toward a planned late 2026 launch. Market reactions to these earnings have been mixed, often leaning negative, with some quarters seeing sharp declines despite operational and cost improvements.
Historical Comparison
Across 5 prior earnings reports, average next-day move was -4.11%, showing that earnings updates have often coincided with downside or volatile trading for NAUT.
Earnings releases show a steady pattern of expense reductions, narrower losses, and protected cash balances while advancing Tau proteoform assays and the Voyager platform toward an anticipated late-2026 commercial launch.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights further cost controls and commercialization progress. Operating expenses declined to $16.1M from $18.8M, and net loss improved to $14.7M, while cash and investments stood at $143.4M as of March 31, 2026. In context of prior earnings, Nautilus has steadily reduced spending while advancing its Tau proteoform work and Voyager platform, so investors may watch future quarters for cash trends and launch milestones.
Key Terms
single-molecule proteome analysis medical
proteome medical
proteoform medical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
SEATTLE, April 28, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ: NAUT), a company pioneering a single-molecule proteome analysis platform, today reported financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026.
First Quarter 2026 Business Highlights
- Initiated our Iterative Mapping Early Access Program, enabling broader access to our validated Tau proteoform assay, with Baylor College of Medicine as our first customer in a National Institutes of Health-funded cancer study.
- Advanced processing and analysis of Tau proteoform samples from collaborators, supporting platform validation and future scientific publications.
- Appointed Amber Faust as Vice President of Global Sales, a proven proteomics commercial leader from Olink Proteomics and SomaLogic, to lead Early Access customer expansion and drive Voyager™ Platform adoption ahead of our commercial launch.
“In Q1, we made measurable progress toward commercialization, with early customer engagement reinforcing the value of our platform in real-world research settings,” said Sujal Patel, CEO of Nautilus Biotechnology. “We also advanced our broadscale capabilities, including development of a next-generation assay format designed to improve probe compatibility, performance, and scalability. Together with the addition of experienced sales leadership, these efforts position us to scale Early Access and progress toward full commercial availability.”
First Quarter 2026 Financial Results
Operating expenses were
Net loss was
Cash, cash equivalents, and investments were
Webcast and Conference Call Information
Nautilus will host a conference call to discuss the first quarter 2026 financial results, business developments and outlook before market open on Tuesday, April 28, 2026, at 5:30 AM Pacific Time / 8:30 AM Eastern Time. Live audio of the webcast will be available on the “Investors” section of the company website at: www.nautilus.bio.
About Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc.
With its corporate headquarters in Seattle, Washington and its research and development headquarters in San Carlos, California, Nautilus is a development stage life sciences company working to create a platform technology for quantifying and unlocking the complexity of the proteome. Nautilus’ mission is to transform the field of proteomics by democratizing access to the proteome and enabling fundamental advancements across human health and medicine. To learn more about Nautilus, visit www.nautilus.bio
Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of federal securities laws. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding Nautilus’ expectations regarding the company’s business operations, financial performance and results of operations; expectations regarding operating expenses and cash runway; expectations with respect to any revenue timing or projections; expectations with respect to the development required for and the timing of the launch of the Nautilus VoyagerTM platform and full commercial availability; the functionality and performance of the Nautilus Voyager platform, its potential impact on providing proteome or proteoform access, pharmaceutical development and drug discovery, expanding research horizons, and enabling scientific explorations and discovery; expectations regarding platform specifications required by potential customers and partners and the timeline for adoption of the Nautilus Voyager platform by researchers; and the present and future capabilities and limitations of emerging proteomics technologies. These statements are based on numerous assumptions concerning the development of Nautilus’ products, target markets, and other current and emerging proteomics technologies, and involve substantial risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties that could materially affect the accuracy of Nautilus’ assumptions and its ability to achieve the forward-looking statements set forth in this press release include (without limitation) the following: the Nautilus Voyager product platform is not yet commercially available and remains subject to significant scientific and technical development, which is inherently challenging and difficult to predict, particularly with respect to highly novel and complex products such as those being developed by Nautilus. Even if our development efforts are successful, our product platform will require substantial validation of its functionality and utility in life science research. In the course of Nautilus’ scientific and technical development and associated product validation and commercialization, we may experience material delays as a result of unanticipated events. We cannot provide any guarantee or assurance with respect to the outcome of our development, collaboration, and commercialization initiatives or with respect to their associated timelines. For a more detailed description of additional risks and uncertainties facing Nautilus and its development efforts, investors should refer to the information under the caption “Risk Factors” in our Annual Report on Form 10-K as well as in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to be filed for the quarter ended March 31, 2026 and our other filings with the SEC. The forward-looking statements in this press release are as of the date of this press release. Except as otherwise required by applicable law, Nautilus disclaims any duty to update any forward-looking statements. You should, therefore, not rely on these forward-looking statements as representing our views as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release.
Disclosure Information
Nautilus uses filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, its website (www.nautilus.bio), press releases, public conference calls, public webcasts, and its social media accounts as means of disclosing material non-public information and for complying with Regulation FD. Therefore, Nautilus encourages investors, the media, and others interested in Nautilus to review the information it makes public in these locations, as such information could be deemed to be material information.
Media Contact
press@nautilus.bio
Investor Contact
investorrelations@nautilus.bio
| Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025 (Unaudited) | |||||||
| (in thousands) | March 31, 2026 | December 31, 2025 | |||||
| Assets | |||||||
| Current assets: | |||||||
| Cash and cash equivalents | $ | 14,626 | $ | 12,388 | |||
| Short-term investments | 81,243 | 91,018 | |||||
| Prepaid expenses and other current assets | 2,963 | 2,557 | |||||
| Total current assets | 98,832 | 105,963 | |||||
| Property and equipment, net | 3,635 | 3,457 | |||||
| Operating lease right-of-use assets | 26,631 | 27,773 | |||||
| Long-term investments | 47,505 | 52,739 | |||||
| Other long-term assets | 1,176 | 1,180 | |||||
| Total assets | $ | 177,779 | $ | 191,112 | |||
| Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity | |||||||
| Current liabilities: | |||||||
| Accounts payable | $ | 1,186 | $ | 943 | |||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 3,305 | 3,177 | |||||
| Current portion of operating lease liabilities | 3,852 | 3,832 | |||||
| Total current liabilities | 8,343 | 7,952 | |||||
| Operating lease liabilities, net of current portion | 25,021 | 26,187 | |||||
| Total liabilities | 33,364 | 34,139 | |||||
| Stockholders’ equity: | |||||||
| Preferred stock | — | — | |||||
| Common stock | 13 | 13 | |||||
| Additional paid-in capital | 491,210 | 488,737 | |||||
| Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) | (91 | ) | 243 | ||||
| Accumulated deficit | (346,717 | ) | (332,020 | ) | |||
| Total stockholders’ equity | 144,415 | 156,973 | |||||
| Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity | $ | 177,779 | $ | 191,112 | |||
| Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
| (in thousands, except share and per share data) | 2026 | 2025 | |||||
| Operating expenses: | |||||||
| Research and development | $ | 9,707 | $ | 11,536 | |||
| Selling, general and administrative | 6,417 | 7,308 | |||||
| Total operating expenses | 16,124 | 18,844 | |||||
| Other income (expense): | |||||||
| Interest income | 1,442 | 2,231 | |||||
| Other expense | (15 | ) | — | ||||
| Total other income | $ | 1,427 | $ | 2,231 | |||
| Net loss | $ | (14,697 | ) | $ | (16,613 | ) | |
| Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted | $ | (0.12 | ) | $ | (0.13 | ) | |
| Weighted-average shares used in computing net loss per share attributable to common stockholders, basic and diluted | 126,634,782 | 126,144,240 | |||||
| Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows Three Months Ended March 31, 2026 and 2025 (Unaudited) | |||||||
| Three Months Ended March 31, | |||||||
| (in thousands) | 2026 | 2025 | |||||
| Cash flows from operating activities | |||||||
| Net loss | $ | (14,697 | ) | $ | (16,613 | ) | |
| Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities | |||||||
| Stock-based compensation | 1,362 | 2,168 | |||||
| Amortization of operating lease right-of-use assets | 1,142 | 1,160 | |||||
| Depreciation | 334 | 465 | |||||
| Amortization (accretion) of premiums (discounts) on securities, net | (68 | ) | (541 | ) | |||
| Changes in operating assets and liabilities: | |||||||
| Prepaid expenses and other assets | (355 | ) | 167 | ||||
| Accounts payable | 200 | (131 | ) | ||||
| Accrued expenses and other liabilities | 128 | 525 | |||||
| Operating lease liabilities | (1,146 | ) | (1,137 | ) | |||
| Net cash used in operating activities | (13,100 | ) | (13,937 | ) | |||
| Cash flows from investing activities | |||||||
| Proceeds from maturities of securities | 25,805 | 26,630 | |||||
| Purchases of securities | (11,062 | ) | (6,900 | ) | |||
| Purchases of property and equipment | (510 | ) | (219 | ) | |||
| Net cash provided by investing activities | 14,233 | 19,511 | |||||
| Cash flows from financing activities | |||||||
| Proceeds from exercise of stock options | 1,105 | 18 | |||||
| Net cash provided by financing activities | 1,105 | 18 | |||||
| Net increase in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash | 2,238 | 5,592 | |||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of period | 13,390 | 28,648 | |||||
| Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of period | $ | 15,628 | $ | 34,240 | |||
