3 Hot Healthcare Stocks That Won’t Break the Bank
Given the uncertain economic climate, investors are looking for sectors of the market that will provide refuge. Many analysts are pointing to the healthcare space. While the healthcare segment of the S&P 500 is down 2% over the last month, analysts believe that this sector contains compelling investment opportunities.
Investors looking to break into the space don’t have to spend a lot of money to do so. With the help of analysts, we found 3 bargain healthcare stocks under $10 that appear poised for long-term growth.
CymaBay Therapeutics Inc. (CBAY)
CymaBay develops and commercializes therapies used to treat patients with liver and other chronic diseases. Its most advanced clinical candidate is the seladelpar drug that could be used to treat primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), or autoimmune liver diseases. The biopharma stock is currently trading at $5.83, with analysts saying share prices have the potential to keep going up.
Coming on the heels of its second quarter earnings release, the company looks strong. CBAY has made a significant investment in the development of new and existing treatments. According to the August 7 release, research and development spending increased from $14.4 million in the year-ago quarter to $21.1 million.
Management pointed out that the investment in research and development already appears to be paying off. Data from CBAY’s paired liver biopsy study of seladelpar for NASH shows a favorable safety and tolerability profile at all doses. Not to mention the FDA accepted an Investigational New Drug (IND) application to begin a Phase 2 clinical study for seladelpar use in treating primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a chronic cholestatic liver disease that causes diffuse inflammation and fibrosis of the bile ducts. Currently, there aren’t any FDA-approved treatments for PSC on the market.
President and CEO Sujal Shah said, “In the second quarter of 2019, we made significant progress advancing the development of seladelpar for PBC and NASH and began activities to further diversify development into PSC. Enrollment in our ENHANCE Phase 3 registration study in PBC, expected to be completed by year-end, continued on track during the quarter. Topline 12-week results from our 52-week, dose-ranging Phase 2b study in NASH showed clinically meaningful reductions in multiple biomarkers of inflammation and liver injury despite minimal reductions in total liver fat.”
Ed Arce, a four-star analyst according to TipRanks, agrees that the investment will bolster CBAY’s long-term growth narrative. On August 8, he reiterated his Buy rating and $12 price target. The H.C. Wainwright analyst believes share prices could soar by 106% over the next twelve months.
The rest of the Street is bullish on this healthcare stock. CBAY has a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus and a $14 average price target, suggesting 137% upside potential.
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (KPTI)
Karyopharm Therapeutics is a clinical stage pharmaceutical company that develops treatments for cancer and other diseases. Its drugs directly target nuclear transport and related targets. KPTI is trading at $8.86, with some analysts saying more upside is set to follow.
On July 3, KPTI’s XPOVIO received accelerated approval from the FDA. The drug was approved for the combined use with dexamethasone to treat adult patients who have relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma and have already received at least four therapies.
After the approval, XPOVIO became commercially available in the U.S. on July 9. Management stated, “Early prescribing trends are encouraging with robust demand from both academic and community-based physicians throughout the U.S. with early prescriptions being filled for patients with Medicare and commercial insurance coverage.”
KPTI has also made substantial efforts to expand its reach. It submitted a Marketing Authorization Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for conditional approval of XPOVIO’s combined use with dexamethasone. Not to mention its Pivotal Phase 3 BOSTON study is in progress testing XPOVIO’s combined use with proteasome inhibitor Velcade (bortezomib) and low dose dexamethasone (SVd). The treatment would be used for patients with multiple myeloma that have only received one to three therapies.
Edward White, a five-star analyst, believes XPOVIO’s success will fuel KPTI’s continued growth. “We base our $32 price target on probability-adjusted revenue forecasts for XPOVIO (selinexor). We use a net present value of $7.91 for our revenue forecast through 2026, that includes the approval of Xpovio in penta-refractory multiple myeloma, a 40% probability of success (POS) for XPOVIO in combination treatment for multiple myeloma, a 30% POS for 25% POS for XPOVIO in solid tumors,” he said. On August 6, the H.C. Wainwright analyst reiterated his Buy rating and $32 price target, implying 261% upside.
One-star analyst, Eric Joseph said, “Our doctor survey supports a strong XPOVIO launch and long-term outlook.” On July 23, the J.P. Morgan analyst upgraded KPTI to a Buy and raised the price target from $8 to $16. He believes share prices could rise 81% over the next twelve months.
KPTI has a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus and a $20 average price target, suggesting 128% upside potential.
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SNDX)
The last healthcare stock on our list also develops treatments for cancer patients. With Syndax currently trading at $9.89, many analysts are saying now’s the time to get on board.
On August 7, the company reported a second quarter net loss of $15 million or $0.47 per share. However, its loss narrowed from $18.4 million or $0.74 per share in the year-ago quarter. SNDX was also able to cut general and administrative costs from $4.5 million in the prior-year quarter to $3.5 million.
The company’s most promising candidate is its entinostat treatment for breast cancer. In May 2019, E2112 trial passed its fourth interim overall survival (OS) analysis. The endocrine-based therapy could be a catalyst for SNDX, with results from the study expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2019.
Investors got another reason to be excited in July when the FDA approved the company’s IND application to start a Phase 1/2 trial for SNDX-5613, a highly selective Menin inhibitor to treat relapsed or refractory acute leukemias. SNDX is also researching drugs to treat chronic graft versus host disease (cGVHD).
White, who also covers SNDX, believes that the company’s entinostat drug has the potential to fuel continued growth. On August 8, the analyst reiterated his Buy rating and $16 price target, suggesting 62% upside potential. “We base our $16 price target on probability-adjusted revenue forecasts for entinostat in combination treatment for advanced HR+, HER2- breast cancer. We use the net present value of our revenue forecast through 2027, apply a 40% POS for HR+, HER2- breast cancer, with a 3x price/sales multiple,” he said.
Four-star analyst, Harshita Polishetty, agrees that its breast cancer drug is especially promising. “Taken as a whole, we believe the next preplanned overall surival (OS) interim analysis for E2112, scheduled for 4Q19, is a very important catalyst for the company. Overall, we remain focused on the potential of entinostat in HR+, HER2- breast cancer,” the B.Riley FBR analyst said. On August 8, he reiterated his Buy rating and $26 price target, implying 163% upside potential. Polishetty has a 62% success rate and gets an average return of 27% per rating.
SNDX has a ‘Strong Buy’ analyst consensus and an average price target of $19, indicating 95% upside.
