January 20, 2012
Article from Seeking Alpha
Do you like knowing whether a company has a lot of cash relative to its operating expenses? If you doubt a company's ability to make consistent profits, it may be comforting to know whether it at least has the cash to sustain operations.
We ran a screen on the healthcare sector for stocks with the highest cash relative to their average quarterly operating expenses over the last five quarters, indicating these companies have healthy amounts of liquidity.
Compare changes in analyst ratings over the last two years for the top six stocks mentioned below. Analyst ratings sourced from Zacks Investment Research.
We also created a price-weighted index of the stocks mentioned below, and monitored the performance of the list relative to the S&P 500 index over the last month.
Do you think these companies are in a strong operational position? Use this list as a starting point for your own analysis.
List sorted by cash to average operating expense.
1. Enzon Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ENZN): Engages in the research and development of therapeutics for cancer patients with unmet medical needs. Market cap of $328.37M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $19.07M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $330.25M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 17.32. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 11.88% (equivalent to 21.97 days of average volume). The stock has lost 43.71% over the last year.
2. Momenta Pharmaceuticals Inc. (MNTA): A biotechnology company, specializes in the in the characterization and process engineering of complex molecules. Market cap of $993.03M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $23.05M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $307.97M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 13.36. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 12.39% (equivalent to 6.37 days of average volume). The stock has had a good month, gaining 20.07%.
3. InterMune Inc. (ITMN): Focuses on developing and commercializing therapies in pulmonology and hepatology. Market cap of $1.02B. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $37.29M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $468.18M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 12.55. This is a risky stock that is significantly more volatile than the overall market (beta = 2.33). The stock has had a good month, gaining 22.29%.
4. Rigel Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RIGL): Engages in the discovery and development of small-molecule drugs for the treatment of inflammatory/autoimmune diseases, as well as for certain cancers and metabolic diseases. Market cap of $605.54M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $21.36M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $265.68M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 12.44. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 6.29% (equivalent to 15.72 days of average volume). The stock has had a couple of great days, gaining 5.72% over the last week.
5. VIVUS Inc. (VVUS): Engages in the development and commercialization of therapeutic products for underserved markets in the United States. Market cap of $1.10B. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $13.02M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $155.25M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 11.92. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 18.2% (equivalent to 9.57 days of average volume). The stock has had a good month, gaining 21.48%.
6. Exact Sciences Corporation (EXAS): Focuses on developing a molecular diagnostic screening technology for the early detection and prevention of colorectal pre-cancer and cancer. Market cap of $523.97M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $6.39M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $75.43M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 11.8. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 12.4% (equivalent to 10.99 days of average volume). The stock has had a couple of great days, gaining 5.06% over the last week.
7. Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AEGR): Engages in the development and commercialization of novel therapeutics to treat severe lipid disorders. Market cap of $320.55M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $7.05M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $82.92M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 11.76. The stock has gained 5.72% over the last year.
8. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. (RPTP): Operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. Market cap of $302.38M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $5.66M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $54.75M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 9.67. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 9.39% (equivalent to 9.41 days of average volume). The stock has gained 75.83% over the last year.
9. Neurocrine Biosciences Inc. (NBIX): Engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders in the United States. Market cap of $477.45M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $11.72M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $111.63M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 9.53. The stock has had a good month, gaining 12.21%.
10. Theravance Inc. (THRX): Engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of small molecule medicines for various therapeutic areas, including respiratory disease, bacterial infections, and central nervous system (CNS)/pain. Market cap of $1.58B. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $28.67M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $265.17M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 9.25. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 9.76% (equivalent to 12.54 days of average volume). The stock has performed poorly over the last month, losing 15.99%.
11. Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ISIS): Engages in the discovery and development of antisense drugs using antisense drug discovery platform. Market cap of $799.83M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $39.8M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $364.76M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 9.16. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 10.16% (equivalent to 14.51 days of average volume). The stock has had a couple of great days, gaining 7.8% over the last week.
12. Pharmacyclics Inc. (PCYC): Operates as a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focusing on developing and commercializing small-molecule drugs for the treatment of immune mediated disease and cancer. Market cap of $1.13B. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $11.64M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $105.25M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 9.04. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 8.37% (equivalent to 5.7 days of average volume). The stock has had a good month, gaining 14.94%.
13. Immunogen Inc. (IMGN): Engages in the research and development of antibody-based anticancer therapeutics in the United States. Market cap of $985.31M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $20.3M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $179.76M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 8.86. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 8.98% (equivalent to 13.24 days of average volume). The stock has had a couple of great days, gaining 7.87% over the last week.
14. AVEO Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AVEO): Engages in the discovery and development of cancer therapeutics. Market cap of $625.10M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $30.25M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $259.83M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 8.59. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 6.25% (equivalent to 8.08 days of average volume). The stock has lost 3.53% over the last year.
15. ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc. (ZIOP): Focuses on the development and commercialization of in-licensed cancer drugs in North America. Market cap of $353.89M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $14.06M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $118.93M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 8.46. The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 13.84% (equivalent to 18.69 days of average volume). The stock has had a couple of great days, gaining 13.63% over the last week.
16. MAP Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (MAPP): Focuses on the development and commercialization of inhalation therapies for patients suffering from migraine. Market cap of $428.53M. Average quarterly operating expense over the last five quarters at $13.75M, vs. most recent cash and short term investments at $111.84M, implies a Cash / Avg. Operating Expense ratio at 8.13. This is a risky stock that is significantly more volatile than the overall market (beta = 2.76). The stock is a short squeeze candidate, with a short float at 5.26% (equivalent to 14.32 days of average volume). The stock has lost 14.33% over the last year.
*Accounting data sourced from Google Finance, all other data sourced from Finviz.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.
Article from Seeking Alpha