Biotech Playbook: Small Caps Show Momentum Peaking During

Dna, Genetic Material, Helix, Proteins, Biology

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Biotech Playbook-Small Cap Trades and JPM24

  • A cursory review of charts from our list of small cap trades and holdings from our list below show some peaking during JPM24.
  • Severe losses hit momentum stocks that could not deliver a new deal or good earnings news.
  • The momentum of selected stocks was strong up until early January was encouraging but we need less volatility in period ahead to conform a new bull market.
  • There was a pick-up in M&A which bodes well for financing and the biotech market in general.

Over the past week we provided updates on the market during JPM week. We developed the SMID cap list below with the expectation of trading profits but more importantly long term appreciation. We will update the SMID list in about 2 weeks or after Q4 earnings. We reduced many of our SMID positions last week, but remain positive on selected small caps.

  1. Genomics stocks were a focus for traders with some positive developments. Pacific Bioscience (PACB) is well-known stock with high expectations but with no good news the stock is down 38% to $6.71  over the past 12 months. off a July high of $14.55. TWST and TXG were both positive trades. ILMN is a new holding.
  2. CRSP, EVH, HOLX, IMTX, VCEL, VCYT still look good as long term holds. PRHSX is a long term hold.
  3. ARKG, CERE, IJR, and XBI were profitable long trades.
  4. We had no position in CYTK and it was off last week as the rumored deal with Novartis is being questioned. This had a negative impact on the market.
  5. MedTech stocks are recovering from lows. IHI.

Overall the biotech market looks more positive for 2024 with dels picking up and interest rates stable or declining.


Disclosure LONG: ABOS,CPRX, CRBU,CRSP, CYRX, GERN, HOLX, IMTX, QDEL, SUPN, VCEL,VCYT.

    P 1/20/23 % Perf 2/4/23   12/24/23 Perf %            
Company Ticker $   P % week P 4 wks YTD %     1/13/2024    
                      P    
                           
Acumen Therap ABOS     5.29   3.57 51.27 -33.89   3.88 -3.48    
Catalyst Pharma CPRX NEW   16.1 19.62 16.58 19.62 -10.86   14.49 -0.55    
Caribou Biosci CRBU NEW   6.29 20.55 6.17 8.44 -0.175   5.43 12.76    
CRSPR Therap CRSP 49.61 -25 55.27 4.72 63.67 -9.68 56.63   64.25 5.9    
Cryoport CYRX 21.75 -42.34 25.24 9.41 16.09 14.76 -7.26   14.61 -5.44    
Evolent Health EVH 30.83 13.74 31.96 2.21 32.08 8.56 14.25   31.48 -2.72    
Geron GERN 3.19 9.24 3.22 3.59 2.29 17.44 -5.37   2.03 1    
Hologic HOLX 79.66 22.41 84.68 2.28 71.04 -1.58 -5.04   72.75 -0.27    
Immatics IMTX NEW   9.3   9.9 20.88 13.66   12.55 20.44    
Pacific Biosci PACB 11.29 55.68 11.58 -1.7 8.59 28.4 5   6.71 -28.62    
Quidel/Ortho QDEL 88.13 -11.56 89.7 3.93 73.98 7.19 -13.65   72.95 -1.08    
Supernus SUPN 40.3 12.3 41.61 2.29 29.23 6.04 -18.05   28.24 2.95    
Twist Biosci TWST NEW 12/2 18   3.76 54.39 34.03   36.12 6.3    
10x Genomics TXG NEW 12/2 47.84   56.58 30.52 55.27   46.99 -9    
Vericel VCEL NEW   31   34.75 -2.09 31.93   38.24 17.59    
Veracyte VCYT 24.89 39.43 26.67 2.46 28.27 8.23 19.13   26.52 3.07    
                           
SPDR Biotech XBI 86.99 14.75 90.39 1.12 87.62 20.36 5.57   90.42 1.25    
                           
wildcard                          
ArkGenomics ARKG NEW   35.28   32.81 18.88 16.22   30.68 -2.94    
longs                          
Becton-Dickinson BDX old pick add?             236.27 -2.4    
Cerevel CERE acquired               42.7 1.04    
Cytokinetics CYTK in play missed             85.6 -8.67    
Illumina ILMN redo               138.04 5.79    
            12/24/23              
iShares CoreS&P IJR         108.34 12.96 14.48   104.36    
iShares Russell IWM         201.48 13.11 15.55   193.23    
iShares BIO IBB         133.77 12.68 -1.89   137.13 0.74    
NASDAQ-100 QQQ         408.38 4.7 53.36   409.56 3.23    
HealthcareSPDR XLV         135.02 3.52   140.52 1.01    
                           
T.RowePrice PRHSX         86.84 3.67 -3.32   89.76 0.73   1mo
iShares MEDTech IHI         53.65 7.34 2.05   55.24 3.74  

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