Immuron Stock Explodes; Plus, the Small-Cap Expected to Double
Meanwhile, CDNA stock is reeling after a scathing short seller report
U.S. stocks are flat today, though the Dow managed a fresh record high. Looking at the healthcare sector specifically, three names making big moves are Immuron Limited (NASDAQ:IMRN), Bio-Path Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:BPTH), and CareDx Inc (NASDAQ:CDNA). Here's what to know about the shares of IMRN, BPTH, and CDNA today.
Podcast Mentions Send Consumers to Immuron's Travelan
After jumping roughly 150% earlier, the shares of Australia-based IMRN were last seen 64% higher at $4.81. Sparking the breakout was the company's announcement that podcast mentions helped boost sales of its Travelan product, which is meant to reduce diarrhea and other digestion issues when traveling to foreign countries. Overall, total North American revenue jumped by 52% in the company's fiscal year 2019. On the other hand, the stock has still given back more than half its value in the past year, and hit an all-time low of $2.38 in June.
New "Buy" Rating, Lofty Price Target Lift BPTH
BPTH stock is trading up 17.4% at $15.15, after H.C. Wainwright began coverage with a "buy" recommendation and $28 price target -- a premium of 117% to yesterday's close. The brokerage firm cited confidence in the company's main product, prexigebersen, and Bio-Path's DNAbilize technology. While BPTH is set to settle atop the 50-day moving average for the first time since April, the shares remain stuck in their series of lower highs from recent months, though pullbacks have been contained by the 200-day moving average. There was only one brokerage firm in coverage before today, though it also recommended buying the cancer treatment specialist.
Scathing Short Position Smacks CareDx
CDNA shares, meanwhile, are moving sharply lower, last seen 14.2% below breakeven at $32.01 -- set for their worst session since July 2017. A new short position out of Kerrisdale Capital is responsible for the sell-off, with the firm saying CareDx's diagnostic test AlloSure "is mostly useless, and potentially dangerous if used improperly." Kerrisdale said CareDX will be "in a precarious position, particularly as physicians wise up to the futility of AlloSure," and Medicare coverage will become jeopardized. As such, "the prognosis for [CDNA] stock price is dim."
Despite the huge pullback, the stock remains up 166% year-over-year, having just touched an all-time high of $41.27 on July 11. Looking at the data, Kerrisdale is far from the only CDNA bear. Short interest increased 14%in the last reporting period, and now accounts for 13.7% of the equity's total available float. Today, of course, the stock has landed on the short-sale restricted list.