Analyst Update: Alphabet Inc, Facebook Inc, and Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Analysts are weighing in on internet issue Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:GOOGL), social media stock Facebook Inc (NASDAQ:FB), and drugmaker Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:LGND). Here's a quick roundup of today's brokerage notes on GOOGL, FB, and LGND.

• It's a great day for the so-called "FANG" stocks, due to some positive attention at J.P. Morgan Securities. This includes GOOGL, which is 1.2% higher at $812.05 on a price-target hike to $1,025 from $950 at the brokerage firm -- in all-time-high territory. Speaking of which, the shares hit a record peak of $819.06 as recently as Sept. 22, perhaps explaining why 26 of 28 analysts consider Alphabet Inc worthy of a "buy" or better recommendation -- with not a single "sell" opinion on the books. Meanwhile, GOOGL's rumored plans to buy Twitter Inc (NYSE:TWTR) may be on the rocks, with competition for the microblogging platform ramping up by the day.

• Elsewhere, TWTR rival and fellow "FANG" stock FB is 1.1% higher at $128.77 on a $5 price-target hike to $175 at J.P. Morgan Securities -- waters never before charted by the shares. Separately, FB-owned Instagram is reportedly seeing strong adoption among millennials, according to GlobalWebIndex -- with 58% of internet users between the ages of 18 and 32 having an account, up from 41% two years ago. Year-to-date, Facebook Inc stock has marched 23% higher, and its short-term options traders have become increasingly call-skewed. Specifically, the equity's Schaeffer's put/call open interest ratio (SOIR) of 0.48 rests in the low 2nd annual percentile, with calls doubling puts among options expiring in the next three months.

• Unlike the aforementioned "FANG" stocks, LGND is down sharply -- shedding 11.5% at $100.05, and landing on the short-sale restricted list. Putting the hurt on the shares is news that Amgen, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:AMGN) Kyprolis failed in a Phase 3 study, as Ligand Pharmaceuticals Inc. receives royalties from sales of the multiple myeloma drug. Plus, Roth Capital trimmed LGND's price target to $150 from $151 -- still in never-before-seen territory. The shares are now on track for their lowest close since late March, and analysts could respond with more negative attention. After all, 80% of covering brokerage firms maintain "strong buy" opinions on LGND, with not a single "sell" recommendation to be found.