Insiders Buy the Dip in These 2 Crushed Stocks With Strong Buy Ratings

The oldest rule in investing is simple – buy low and sell high. The challenge, of course, is figuring out which beaten-down stocks are genuinely broken and which ones are simply going through a rough patch.

That’s where a few reliable signals can help separate potential bargains from value traps. Two of the most closely watched are insider buying and analyst sentiment.

Corporate insiders – executives, directors, and other company leaders – often have a deeper understanding of their business than outside investors. When they start purchasing shares of their own company, especially after a steep decline, it can signal confidence that the market has become too pessimistic.

Analysts can provide another layer of insight. When Wall Street researchers continue backing a stock with Buy ratings despite recent weakness, it suggests they still see a path toward recovery.

Using TipRanks’ Insiders’ Hot Stocks tool, which tracks meaningful insider buying activity, we pinpointed two stocks that fit this setup – heavily discounted share prices, insider buying, and Strong Buy consensus ratings. Let’s take a closer look.

Zenas BioPharma (ZBIO)

First up is a late-clinical-stage medical research company, Zenas BioPharma. This firm is operating at the leading edge of the medical field and boasts a strong pipeline of drug candidates, with applications in the field of autoimmune diseases. This class of diseases offers rich potential for a biopharma researcher – autoimmune conditions are frequently highly resistant to treatment, and so successfully bringing a drug candidate to the approval phases and commercialization is a real prize.

To that end, Zenas has two leading candidates, obexelimab and orelabrutinib, advancing through mid- and late-stage clinical trials. The first of these, obexelimab, is a bifunctional monoclonal antibody that binds the CD19 and FcγRIIb proteins found on the surface of B cells and thereby inhibits those cells’ activity in autoimmune conditions – and it does not cause an overall depletion of B cells in the body. That mode of action is designed to address the role of B cells in autoimmune disease without causing immune system compromises. Obexelimab is designed for dosing through self-administered subcutaneous injections.

Currently, Zenas is advancing obexelimab in multiple autoimmune indications, including Immunoglobulin G4-related Disease (IgG4-RD), Relapsing Multiple Sclerosis (RMS), and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). On the first of these tracks, the company expects to submit the Biologics License Application (BLA) to the FDA during the current 2Q26 and plans a Marketing Authorization Application to the EMA during the second half of this year. These applications are bolstered by positive topline results from the Phase 3 INDIGO registrational trial in IgG4-RD announced earlier this year. Investors will also be watching closely for additional obexelimab data presentations at the upcoming EULAR 2026 Congress on June 4. On the SLE track, topline results from a Phase 2 study are expected for release in 4Q26.

We should note that, in January of this year, the company released positive Phase 3 data for obexelimab in IgG4-Related Disease (IgG4-RD). While the study met its primary endpoints, some investors appeared underwhelmed after comparing the results to competing therapies. In addition, the company operates at a net loss and, in March of this year, offered both stock and convertible notes to raise capital – that combination raised worries about share price dilution. Overall, ZBIO is down by 46% so far this year.

The second leading candidate, orelabrutinib, is a BTK inhibitor under investigation in the treatment of MS. There are two Phase 3 trials ongoing for this indication, testing the drug against primary progressive multiple sclerosis (PPMS) and against non-active secondary progressive multiple sclerosis (naSPMS).

The final clinical program of note concerns ZB021. This drug is currently in a Phase 1 trial, testing the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic profile of single ascending doses (SAD) and multiple ascending doses (MAD) in healthy volunteers; data is expected by the end of this year. Zenas has plans to start additional trials in psoriasis patients in North America, with results likely to be released next year.

Turning to the insider activity, the timing of the latest purchase stands out given the sharp decline in the stock. The company’s CEO, Lonnie Moulder, bought 60,000 shares just this week, spending roughly $1 million to add to his position.

That vote of confidence comes as Wedbush analyst David Nierengarten argues investors may be overlooking the breadth of Zenas’ pipeline and the string of potential catalysts expected over the coming quarters.

“ZBIO is progressing toward a diversified pipeline with 2-3 major development candidates and data events roughly every 3-6 months. We see near-term movement with clinical and regulatory developments for obexelimab and ZB021, while orelabrutinib (BTKi) and ZB014 (CD19 mAb, HLE) offer long-term growth potential. ZBIO remains on our Best Ideas List and considering a market cap half that of our valuation in IgG4-RD alone, we see a buying opportunity on current weakness,” Nierengarten opined.

Along with these comments, Nierengarten rates ZBIO stock as Outperform (i.e., Buy), and his $45 price target implies a one-year upside potential of 130%. (To watch Nierengarten’s track record, click here)

Overall, Zenas gets a Strong Buy consensus rating from Wall Street’s analysts, based on 6 recent reviews that include 5 Buys and 1 Hold. The stock is priced at $19.56, and its $43.67 average target price points to a 123% gain by this time next year. (See ZBIO stock forecast)

NIQ Global Intelligence (NIQ)

Another beaten-down stock drawing insider interest is NIQ Global Intelligence, a Chicago-based consumer intelligence and market research company that only went public last year. The firm helps brands and retailers track consumer buying behavior through large-scale data analytics and market insights, giving clients a clearer picture of spending trends and where growth opportunities may emerge.

NIQ uses both AI-powered predictive analytics and robust granular shopper data to find out what’s happening in the consumer world – and more importantly, why it’s happening. The goal: to let its own enterprise customers know what they should do next, with an understanding of today’s customer.

The company does not skimp when it comes to collating data. NIQ covers some 177 million products from over 21 million stores, and can process 4 trillion data records every week. It measures over $7.2 trillion in global consumer spending across some 90-plus countries, in more than 1,800 product categories. That’s a vast database, and NIQ uses it to provide the most up-to-date consumer and market intelligence.

Despite its solid position in the market intelligence field, shares in NIQ have fallen 48% in 2026. The stock price has been hit hard by a Q1 earnings miss, alongside investor concerns that the rapid rise of AI-powered analytics tools could pressure NIQ’s competitive differentiation.

Investors, in particular, appeared to focus on the weaker profitability metrics in that report. The GAAP earnings figure, at ($0.31), was both a net loss and 6 cents per share worse than expected. Revenue, however, reached $1.07 billion, up 11% year-over-year and more than $22 million ahead of forecasts, while non-GAAP earnings of $0.15 per share topped estimates by 5 cents.

While the market clearly focused on the weak spots in the report, NIQ’s top executive appeared to see the selloff differently. The big insider purchase here came from James Peck, Executive Chairman and CEO of the company. Peck spent $1 million to buy 118,625 shares last Monday.

That insider buying lines up with JPMorgan analyst Alexander Hess’s view that the market reaction may have been more about broader sentiment toward the sector than NIQ’s underlying execution.

“In the current market tape, Info Services firms with even a tinge of perceived AI vulnerability have had to deliver strong beat-and-raise quarters to stave off selling pressure. Compounding this, NIQ’s balance sheet has higher-than-average financial leverage and shares (as with many less-seasoned IPOs) are illiquid. All of these factors aside: the NIQ stock screens as evidently cheap to us, trading at ~5.5x our 2026E EBITDA for a ~8% unlevered 2026E FCF yield. While we acknowledge that the present market backdrop has been unfavorable, we came away from the 1Q26 print with reinforced conviction that NIQ’s positive business transformation continues to pace quite well,” Hess commented.

Hess goes on to rate NIQ as Overweight (i.e., Buy), and his $14 price target suggests that the shares will see a 63% upside on the one-year horizon. (To watch Hess’ track record, click here)

Like Zenas above, this stock has a Strong Buy consensus rating on Wall Street. That view is supported by 13 recent reviews, with an 11-to-2 split favoring Buy over Hold. The shares are currently trading at $8.56, and their $15.33 average price target implies a one-year upside of 79%. (See NIQ stock forecast)

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the featured analysts. The content is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is very important to do your own analysis before making any investment.