May 3, 2022 7:40am

After yesterday’s spikes up, down and up again; another trip and fall without getting up?

Earnings’ this week:  Sage Therapeutics (SAGE)

Pre-open indications: 9 SELL Indications and 1 Pimp/Pump/Promote

RMi outlines a daily bell weather of “indications” about what you need to know; it’s what could happen or materialize after the opening and what might happen during the session.

Just the facts … I ask questions and note the indications of what could happen …


Remember that overnight and pre-open actions in futures don't necessarily translate into actual trading in the coming day’s session.

 

Dow futures are DOWN -0.42% (-138 points), S&P futures are DOWN -0.43% (-17 points) and NASDAQ futures are DOWN -0.45% (-58 points) early in the pre-open – so far,

 

U.S. stock futures are down early Tuesday morning after staging a reversal to start May,

European markets inched higher, attempting to claw back Monday’s losses, as investors digested weak economic data out of China and Germany, and a sudden “flash crash” in Sweden’s OMX 30 index,

Asia-Pacific markets were mixed with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index climbing on its return to trade from a public holiday. Australia on Tuesday hiked its interest rate for the first time in more than a decade as consumer prices surge.

 

Henry’omics:

Monday’s wild up-and-down session with the Nasdaq rising 1.63% in a late-day comeback, had fallen as much as 1.07% earlier in the session.

Also, Monday’s report of ISM Manufacturing Index for April decreased to 55.4, indicative of a sector still expanding but at a reduced pace. Perhaps more importantly, the employment index for the month was just 50.9 — a reading of 50 indicates expansion, so April pointed to a near-halt in hiring. <CNBC>

Economic Data Docket: Job Openings and Labor Turnover (JOLTS) data that is expected at 10 a.m. and a report on auto sales for April is also expected.

What are we all waiting for -- The effect of the Federal Open Market Committee when they issue their statement at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday – 50 basis points and when? (Fed Chair Jerome Powell is expected to hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m.)

 

RegMed Investors’ (RMi) closing bell: “the oversold were noticed but, for how long? A wild session, with a neutral mid-day and a sudden positive close following as I stated this a.m.,” Don’t be fooled, May will empty pockets and further damage cell and gene therapy sector portfolios.” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/12417

 

Ebb and flow –

Q2/22 –

May - 1 positive close

·         April - 1 holiday, 6 positive and 13 negative closes

Q1/22:

·         March – 13 negative and 10 positive closes

·         February stats: 11 negative, 8 positive closes and 1 holiday

·         January stats: 2 holidays, 1 neutral, 13 negative and 6 positive closes

 

Companies in my headlights – It’s your decision; I provide ideas and context: INDICATIONS

SELL into Strength:

Beam Therapeutics (BEAM) closed up +$3.25 to $40.78 < 52-week low of $36.31 and a high of $138.52> after Friday’s -$2.04 with a positive +$0.10 or +0.25% pre-open indication,

Caribou Biosciences (CRBU) closed up +$0.53 to $7.93 <52-week low of $7.04 and a high of $32.65> with a negative -$0.01 or -0.13% pre-open indication,

CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP) closed up +$2.36to $51.98 after Friday’s -$2.00 <52-week low of $48.38> and a high of $169.76> with a negative -$0.83 or -1.60% pre-open indication,

Editas Medicine (EDIT) closed up +$1.03 to $14.27 <52-week low of $12.90 and a high of $73.03> after Friday’s -$0.60 with a neutral $0.00 pre-open indication,

Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT) closed up +$1.39 to $32.09 after Friday’s -$1.33 and Thursday’s -$0.31 <a 52-week low of $24.61 and a high of $41.73> with a negative -$0.40 or -1.25% pre-open indication,

Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) closed up +$1.61 to $38.37 <52-week low of $25.04 and a high of $44.42> with a negative -$0.94 or -2.45% pre-open indication,

UniQure NV (QURE) closed up +$0.83 to $15.77 <52-week low of $14.29 and a high of $38.80> with a positive +$0.21 or +1.33 pre-open indication post earning with a drawdown of $65 M debt facility,

BioLife Solutions (BLFS) closed up +$0.51 to $13.18 after Friday’s -$0.34 after Thursday’s +$0.28 <52-weeklow of $12.13 and a high of $60.67> with a positive +$0.24 or +1.82% pre-open indication.

Ultragenyx (RARE) closed up +$1.60 to $72.29 after Friday’s -$0.48 <52-week low of $61.21 and a high of 119.54> with a neutral $0.00 pre-open indication. Earnings this week.

 

Pimp/Pump and Promote:

Biostage (BSTG) closed flat $0.00 with 3,925 shares traded after Friday’s +$0.10 with 2,819 shares traded, Thursday’s flat at $5.90 with 1,905 shares traded, Wednesday’s -$0.30 with 1,150 shares traded, and last Tuesday’s -$0.30 with 25,325 shares traded.

  • WARNING:  A terminal death lawsuit that just got settled (4/28) for $6 M by a “broke” company with yet another preferred convertible debt financing?
  • A “ZOMBIE” company, WHY BUY this equity with a 3-year-old IND, NO clinical trial initiation, and a precarious financial position dependent on a possible cash infusion? Also, WHY the pump of the volume to gain share appreciation – they have to reverse the multiple private placements (the priciest was $4.71) for a potential/proposed stock offering.
  • One positive, Chairman and interim CEO Green shifted the burden of the death suit from management’s responsibility to shareholders with this new debt financing. Question didn’t Chairman and then CEO invite Paola Macchiarini, the individual responsible for the terminal death (to Harvard Apparatus, now Biostage) who is just going on trial in Sweden for similar but, aggravated assault reasons against patients?
  • Last question: Has BSTG filed their FDA annual report on their IND to the FDA – which defines its capacity and capability why it can go forward to a clinical trial and their CRO plan forward?

 

The BOTTOM LINE: Don't get sucked into morning rallies …

Last month ended and I am NOT trusting the beginning of the month of May – too many earning releasees.

Market/sector breadth is anemic, with losers outpacing winners and new lows trouncing new highs.

In this environment, it's impossible to call the bottom …

So, brace for more choppiness in the near-term as we enter… the earnings “black hole beginning this week

Reiterating, “I am NOT a sector optimist in light of current macro earnings and the coming “swarm” of cell and gene therapy sector in our very own “loss-per-share” companies reporting season.” The earnings are coming, the earnings are coming; flash the signal light of loss per share - I maintain a warning to investors to reduce exposure.

I try to keep it simple … and short!

Investors should consider taking at least partial profits quickly on winners to avoid round-tripping moves.

I am still, in the here and now, the cell and gene therapy sector will continue to “flutter”; as we are about to enter the earnings’ zone!

Two (2) sector earnings (ALNY and SLDB) from my covered list and they are BOTH charging their equity pricing into the ground. QURE reported yesterday, Monday and popped +$0.83 – I’m taking a profit.

Earnings’ season is upon us with Sage Therapeutics (SAGE) on 5/3 and AxoGen (AXGN), Fate Therapeutics (FATE), Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS), MiMedx (MDXG), Editas Medicine (EDIT) and Vericel (VCEL) on 5/4; Sangamo Therapeutics (SGMO) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceuticals (RARE) on 4/5, BioLife Solutions (BLFS) on 5/9, Agenus (AGEN) on 5/10 and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI) on 5/16 so far.

 

Whether information or intelligence is good, bad or somewhere in between; RMi’s daily report is a primer that may say little or a lot; yet it serves as insurance that all indications are being examined and evaluated.

 

Opinions expressed are those of the author and are subject to change, and not intended to be a forecast of future events, a guarantee of future results, nor investment advice.

All investments are subject to risks. Investors should consider investment objectives.

Regulation Analyst Certification (Reg AC): The research analyst primarily responsible for the content of this report certifies the following under Reg AC: I hereby certify that all views expressed in this report accurately reflect my personal views about the subject company or companies and its or their securities. I also certify that no part of my compensation was, is or will be, directly or indirectly, related to the specific recommendations or views expressed in this report.

Henry McCusker, the editor and publisher of RegMed Investors does not hold or have positions securities referred to in this publication.