Shares of Akebia Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AKBA) surged 5.28% in pre-market trading on Thursday, following the release of the company's impressive first-quarter 2025 financial results. The biopharmaceutical firm significantly outperformed analyst expectations, demonstrating strong growth and a return to profitability.

Akebia reported quarterly earnings of $0.03 per share, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of -$0.04 by an impressive 175%. This marks a substantial turnaround from the $0.09 loss per share reported in the same period last year. The company's net income reached $6.112 million, in stark contrast to the estimated loss of $10.9 million projected by analysts.

Revenue performance was equally stellar, with Akebia posting quarterly sales of $57.34 million, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $44.88 million by 27.75%. This represents a robust 75.84% increase compared to sales of $32.61 million in the same quarter of the previous year. The significant revenue growth, coupled with controlled operating expenses of $36.197 million, contributed to the company's positive bottom line. Investors are likely encouraged by Akebia's financial improvement and growth trajectory, driving the stock's pre-market rally.