One of the critical components of the investing world is the proliferation and understanding of analyst predictions. That’s because most retail investors prefer to research consumer information regarding stock picks through the calculations of those deemed more experienced in understanding financial fundamentals. No industry is this speculation more important than in biotech. This is where most companies are valued based on the future potential of their products rather than their present earnings. As a result, some undervalued tech stocks slip through the mainstream cracks.
Yet, these novel and exciting companies can often have generous upsides depending on the therapeutic outcomes of their early clinical trials and the total addressable market of patients they aim to treat. As such, investors looking to take advantage of presently undervalued biotech stocks should keep a close eye on drug pipelines and the mechanism by which the drugs operate for insight into the future reception of the product.
Here are the three undervalued biotech stocks:
Undervalued Biotech Stocks: Vir Biotechnology (VIR)
Specializing in biotechnology for viral prophylactics and treatments, Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) has started getting attention from a few analysts. This company’s approach to therapeutics focuses on a broad pipeline across several disease types. It achieves this while collaborating with major biotech firms like Gilead (NASDAQ:GILD) and GSK (OTCMKTS:GLAXF). As a result, the company has been able to rapidly test medicines for diseases like Hepatitis B, HIV, and HPV.
Considering these diseases’ burden on healthcare systems worldwide, VIR has several avenues for developing profit. As a result, some analysts put it at a high price target of $110. That’s a stunning 1,000% upside from its current price of around $9.18.
Thus, investors who are bullish on viral biotechnology should consider VIR. It has a wide range of collaborative partners to lean on and several potentially market-changing therapeutics in the works.
IO Biotech (IOBT)
While a cancer vaccine might sound like something straight out of a movie, IO Biotech (NASDAQ:IOBT) has been working to make it a reality. As a disclaimer, the company trades around the one-dollar mark and has a market capitalization below $100 million, so it is like a penny stock.
The company has an intriguing pipeline of cancer prophylactics in the works. Specifically, its focus has been on melanoma, lung, and head and neck cancers. This is significant because lung cancer has one of the highest incidence rates at around 11%, with a mortality rate of over 18%, according to some metrics.
As such, should IOBT succeed in establishing its immune-modulating cancer vaccine as the backbone of combination therapy for people with cancer, its stock value could rise rapidly to meet analyst forecasts of $12 from its current $1.18 price.
Axsome Therapeutics (AXSM)
Let’s look at a well-established pharmaceutical company with a track record of successful central nervous system treatments. Axsome Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AXSM) has bullish analysts despite downtrodden financial metrics. Estimates put the stock at $190 a share as an ideal price target, up from its current $81 price tag. Yet, these predictions don’t come from the fact that the company’s net losses reached $68.36 million. This was alongside a net profit margin of -91% for Q1 2024.
Instead, analysts are bullish on AXSM’s drug pipeline. The company recently saw its AXS-05 Alzheimer’s drug receive breakthrough therapy designation from the Food and Drug Administration. This, paired with its narcolepsy drug, AXS-12, receiving orphan drug designation, has put its potential for new revenue streams exceptionally high.
As such, AXSM represents a classic play in the undervalued biotech stocks investing world. It’s the game of predicting if a new drug coming to market will spike the stock’s price.
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On the date of publication, Viktor Zarev did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.
On the date of publication, the responsible editor did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
