April 17, 2023 4:40pm

Chug, chug, huff, huff and puff, puff just like the “The Little Engine that Could”

Pre-open Indications: 2 Hits and 4 Miss

News: Caribou Biosciences (CRBU +$0.16) and Precigen (PGEN +$0.10) <read below>

The Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG) Chronicles: back to the pump and promote as 3,500 shares traded dropping the stock -$0.20, can’t stop the “chop”?

De-Listing Update: Avrobio (AVRO) Monday closed down -$0.013 to $0.93 after Friday’s -$0.012 after Thursday +$0.07, Wednesday -$0.06 to $0.89 and last Tuesday’s +$0.04 – still under Nasdaq rule of $1.00; will it revisit the de-listing status after ten (10) sessions under the minimum?

I write this blog/newsletter to inform investors with facts and supporting numbers focused on what they need to hear that others will not say or write about - truth!  

Subscription is coming, it is not conscription but, an offer to join our collective of like-minded investors!  Join me … in the NO spin zone.

If I have learned one thing as a former research analyst in a venture and public fund, operating executive, adjunct (MBA) business school professor now a journalist; it is that your life and your portfolio are largely tied to your knowledge of price movements and questioning pricing targets.

 

The Dow closed UP +100.90 points (+0.30%), the S&P closed UP +13.76 points (+0.33%) while the Nasdaq closed UP +34.26 points (+0.28%)

 

Henry’omics:

We need to more than consider the economic environment - rising rates and inflation to comprehend the micro re “our” universe of cell and gene therapy companies

Indexes were back and forth to close positive for Monday … while investors remain focused on results from financial institutions following the failure of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) last month.

“There is a tug of war between those who are feeling optimistic that the Fed will soon be ending the rate tightening program because of softness that we’re seeing in the economy ... with those who believe the Fed will be forced to raise rates longer because the economy is not in a sense, surrendering.” <Sam Stovall, chief investment strategist at CFRA Research>

“Investors poured money into money market funds during March as tumult in the banking industry was a boon to safe-haven instruments. For the month, the asset class pulled in $363 billion, the third-highest ever in Morningstar data that goes back to 1993. The surge was bested only by the early days of the Covid crisis. The move pushed the total assets for the group to $5.2 trillion by the end of the month, according to the Investment Company Institute.” <CNBC>

 

Economic Data Docket: the NY Fed Empire State manufacturing survey's general business conditions index rose to 10.8 in April, up from March's negative reading of 24.6. The reading beat analysts’ expectations of a negative 18.0.

Monday (4/17) … RegMed Investors’ (RMi) pre-open: “follow the bouncing share pricing for a potential recoil. A volatile, potently resilient sector and market is coming yet, susceptible to economic head and crosswinds.” … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/12917

 

Pre-open Indications: 2 Hits <Agenus (AGEN +$0.23), Beam Therapeutics (BEAM +$0.58)> and 4 Miss <Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$1.09), Cellectis SA (CLLS -$0.02), CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$3.98), Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS +$0.78)>

 

News: News: Caribou Biosciences (CRBU +$0.17) presented a poster of preclinical data demonstrating the promise of CB-012, a next-generation CRISPR-edited allogeneic anti-CLL-1 CAR-T cell therapy, as a therapeutic candidate for adult patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (r/r AML). Precigen (PGEN +$0.11) presented preclinical data for the next generation UltraCAR-T platform utilizing MSLN CAR from its library of non-viral plasmids

 

RegMed/Stem/Cell and Gene Therapy’s 35 covered equities’ Advance/Decline (A/D) lines: what happened – differences

  • Monday’s advance/decline line opened positive at 31 up/ 3 down and 1 flat, stayed positive with 29 up/ 6 down and 0 flat at the mid-day, ending with a positive close of 26/9 and 0 flat
  • Friday’s advance/decline line opened negative at 7 up/ 27 down and 1 flat, stayed negative with 9 up/ 26 down and 0 flat at the mid-day, ending with a negative close of 8/27 and 0 flat

 

RegMed Investors (RMi) Research Note: Q4 and FY22 earnings reporting … https://www.regmedinvestors.com/articles/12843 - 31 of 35

 

Key Metrics:

The iShares NASDAQ Biotechnology (IBB) and the SPDR S&P ETF (XBI) indicators:

  • Monday, the IBB was up +0.86% and the XBI was up +4.69%

The CBOE Volatility Index (VVIX: INDEX) tracked:

  • Monday was down -0.11 points or -0.64% at 16.96

 

Closing Down (9 of 9):

  • Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG-$0.20),
  • Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (BCLI +$0.20),
  • Voyager Therapeutics (VYGR -$0.15,
  • Prime Medicine (PRME -$0.06),
  • Solid biosciences (SLDB -$0.03),
  • Avrobio (AVRO-$0.0145),
  • Cellectis SA (CLLS -$0.01),
  • Mesoblast MESO -$0.01),

Verastem (VSTM -$0.0008),

Closing Up (10 of 26):

  • CRISPR Therapeutics (CRSP +$3.98),
  • Ultragenyx (RARE +$2.55),
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY +$1.99),
  • Sage Therapeutics (SAGE +$1.80),
  • Chinook Therapeutics (KDNY +$1.24),
  • Intellia Therapeutics (NTLA +$1.09)
  • Vericel (VCEL +$0.87),
  • Ionis Therapeutics (IONS +$0.78),
  • Verve Therapeutics (VERV +$0.74),
  • Editas Medicine (EDIT +$0.59),

 

Q2/23 – April

  • Monday closed positive with 26 incliner, 9 decliners and 0 flat

 

The BOTTOM LINE: I try to keep it simple … and short!

I follow the dictum, quoting Churchill that “short words are best, and the old words when short are best of all.”

It’s all about expecting a ROTATION and it came.

Uncertainty over short-run share pricing expectations continues to be notably elevated, indicating that the recent volatility in expected year-ahead inflation is likely to continue.

I HATE to be a doom and gloomed, the Cboe Volatility Index, or “fear gauge,” marked its lowest close on Friday in more than a year. Monday the VIX was low, while cell and gene therapy sector rebounded after being oversold sine months beginning even with a few positive closes.

Investor focus will now shift to Q1 earnings season. Investors are hesitant to add to positions re concerns of persisted inflation while electronic trading i.e., algorithms are the only ones to lead the upside.

April is typically a good month as investors look to the Q2 and move past tax season, among other reasons. It has historically been the second-best month of the year for the S&P 500 and fourth best for the Nasdaq.

WHY (?) do I keep posting, so investors can get a daily update of the sector's share pricing and some individual companies TRUTHS while electronic trading chews on our portfolio edges.

Remember, there are four (4) phases of the stock cycle: accumulation; markup; distribution; and markdown.

I am definitely considered a contrarian depending on the session – one has to be a watcher of the ups and downs as well as measurer of sentiment. I am also a NO trust investor but, a validate and verify journalist/analyst.

The NO spin zone!

Biostage (OTCQB: BSTG) – still pumping the volume and to promote the share price!!

OTCQB: BSTG closed Monday down -$0.20 with 3,500 shares traded after Friday +$0.25 with 929 shares traded, Thursday +$0.10 with 150 shares traded, Wednesday -$0.05 with 101 shares traded, Tuesday $0.00 with 108 shares traded and last Monday’s down -$0.07 with 200 shares traded <3-month average =1,752 shares>

·         Did FINANCING happen with US investors – NO mention, possibly ALL … Beijing, China money? What analysts are following the company? - NONE

·         Question: Review the number of shares traded … is OTCQB: BSTG a Ponzi scheme (with their pump/promote buy and sell agenda) as shares are bought to replace those sold??

·         Notice the new director, Ron Packard, MATCH his background to the new Chairman and CEO – education buddies (different companies each in ed field – independent director?

·         Biggest issue – RELIANCE on Chinese off-shore investment as US investors AVOID this equity – wonder WHY?

 

My question that resounds, that should be asked is how many companies are at the end of sentiments …  leash?

 

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.

Whether information or intelligence is good, bad or somewhere in between; I put into context what is relevant and useful for investors.  All investments are subject to risks. Investors should consider investment objectives.

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

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.