7 Thrilling Biotech Stocks for Aggressive Investors to Buy

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  • These biotech stocks to buy are perfect for speculating investors.
  • Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (KNSA): Kiniksa benefits from a strong balance sheet.
  • POINT Biopharma Global (PNT): POINT Biopharma is a unanimous strong buy.
  • Vir Biotechnology (VIR): Vir Biotechnology is a consensus strong buy.
  • Ocuphire Pharma (OCUP): Ocuphire carries strong upside momentum.
  • AbCellera Biologics (ABCL): AbCellera is another unanimous buy.
  • Vaccitech (VACC): Vaccitech is an undervalued enterprise.
  • Chimerix (CMRX): Chimerix enjoys strong operational stats.
biotech stocks to buy - 7 Thrilling Biotech Stocks for Aggressive Investors to Buy

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While it might be difficult to navigate the equities sector now amid various headwinds, biotech stocks to buy may offer a surprising respite. True, the market presence of the surprise production cuts by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and non-member oil-producing nations — known as OPEC+ — along with the Federal Reserve’s possible response. If we’re being honest, circumstances don’t look particularly auspicious.

Then again, the beauty of biotech stocks to buy is that medical innovations will continue moving forward. Poor economy or not, scientists continue to search for treatments for difficult-to-address diseases and conditions. Under this framework, you might say that the biotech sector is somewhat insulated from the ebb and flow of the economy.

For this specific write-up, I’ll be discussing truly thrilling biotech stocks to buy. Each of these securities features (at the time of writing) consensus analyst price targets that imply a minimum of 100% upside potential. If you’ve got the nerve, I’ve got the ideas.

KNSA Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals $10.38
PNT POINT Biopharma $6.90
VIR Vir Biotechnology $23.16
OCUP Ocuphire Pharma $4.63
ABCL AbCellera Biologics $7.22
VACC Vaccitech $2.27
CMRX Chimerix $1.20

Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (KNSA)

Biotechnology stocks, biomedical stocks
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A small but potentially powerful name among biotech stocks to buy, Kiniksa Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:KNSA) specializes in immune-modulating, clinical-stage product candidates targeting underserved conditions and offering the potential for differentiation. Currently, the company commands a market capitalization of $724 million. Since the start of the year, KNSA slipped 27%. However, in the past one-year period, it’s down “only” 3%.

Despite the volatility, Kiniksa features several attractive financial attributes. First, the company benefits from a strong balance sheet. In particular, its cash-to-debt ratio is 32.2 times, above 65.39% of competitors. Also, its Altman Z-Score is 6.8, indicating very low bankruptcy risk over the next two years.

Second, on the profitability front, Kiniksa has a net margin of 83.28%, above almost 98% of rivals. Also, its return on equity is 71.35%, indicating an extremely high-quality business.

Finally, Wall Street analysts peg KNSA as a unanimous strong buy. Their average price target comes out to $21.50, implying nearly 104% upside potential.

POINT Biopharma Global (PNT)

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Based in Indianapolis, Indiana, POINT Biopharma Global (NASDAQ:PNT) specializes in radiopharmaceutical therapy in its bid to fight cancer. Presently, POINT carries a market cap of just under $730 million. The average trading volume comes out to 617,570 shares. Since the Jan. opener, PNT lost about 3% of its equity value. In the trailing year, it’s down nearly 9%.

While its chart performance doesn’t seem to facilitate much excitement, POINT carries zero debt on its books. At this juncture, this lack of a key liability affords the enterprise incredible flexibility. Beyond that, its Altman Z-Score pings at 7.26, making it a low risk for bankruptcy.

On the profitability end, POINT features a net margin of 43.38%, outpacing 95.51% of its peers. Also, the market prices PNT at a trailing multiple of 6.86. As a discount to earnings, the company ranks better than 85.34% of other biotech stocks to buy. Lastly, covering analysts peg PNT as a unanimous strong buy. Their average price target comes out to $14.33, implying nearly 105% upside potential.

Vir Biotechnology (VIR)

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Headquartered in San Francisco, California, Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) focuses on combining immunologic insights with cutting-edge technologies to treat and prevent serious infectious diseases. It’s one of the larger names on this list of biotech stocks to buy with a market cap of $3.11 billion. Since the Jan. opener, VIR dipped more than 6%. In the past 365 days, however, VIR gained 4% of equity value.

Overall, Vir features decent financial metrics. On the balance sheet, the company’s debt-to-equity ratio is 0.06 times. In contrast, the sector median value is up at 0.13 times. Also, its Altman Z-Score pings at 5.08, indicating low imminent bankruptcy risk. Operationally, Vir features a three-year book growth rate of 58.2%, above 89% of the competition.

Also, the market prices VIR at a trailing multiple of 6.12. As a discount to earnings, the enterprise ranks better than 87.59% of sector players. In closing, analysts peg VIR as a consensus strong buy. Their average price target stands at $50.57, implying 117% upside potential.

Ocuphire Pharma (OCUP)

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A clinical-stage ophthalmic biopharmaceutical company, Ocuphire Pharma (NASDAQ:OCUP) focuses on developing and commercializing therapies for the treatment of refractive and retinal eye disorders. To be sure, the company’s on fire right now (in a good way). Recently, the company recorded a 42% revenue beat, skyrocketing OCUP’s valuation. Since the Jan. opener, shares gained nearly 48% of equity value.

Even better, OCUP moved up almost 70% in the past 365 days. While some might question the viability of bidding up biotech stocks to buy that already enjoy tremendous momentum, the underlying financials may provide confidence. For one thing, Ocuphire features zero debt, affording the entity substantial flexibility. As well, it commands a net margin of just under 45%.

Further, the market prices OCUP at a trailing multiple of 6.83. As a discount to earnings, Ocuphire ranks better than nearly 88% of competing biotech stocks to buy. Turning to Wall Street, analysts peg OCUP as a consensus moderate buy. Their average price target stands at $19, implying 266% upside potential.

AbCellera Biologics (ABCL)

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Based in Canada, AbCellera Biologics (NASDAQ:ABCL) researches and develops human antibodies. Presently, the company commands a market cap of just over $2 billion. One of the larger biotech stocks to buy on this list, ABCL features an average trading volume of 1.73 million. Since the Jan. opener, ABCL gave up 24% of its equity value. In the trailing year, it’s below parity to the tune of over 28%.

Unquestionably, AbCellera encountered a steeply volatile spell. Nevertheless, shares may be worth considering for speculators. First, the company enjoys decent stability in the balance sheet.  In particular, its equity-to-asset ratio is 0.8 times, above 63.16% of the competition. Also, its Altman Z-Score is 6.12, reflecting a very low risk of bankruptcy.

Further, the market prices ABCL at a trailing multiple of 14.42 times. As a discount to earnings, AbCellera ranks better than 72.93% of other biotech stocks to buy. Looking to the Street, analysts peg ABCL as a unanimous strong buy. Their average price target stands at $29.60, implying nearly 311% upside potential.

Vaccitech (VACC)

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Based in the U.K., Vaccitech (NASDAQ:VACC) develops vaccines and immunotherapies for infectious diseases and cancer, such as hepatitis B, HPV, and prostate cancer. One of the smaller enterprises among biotech stocks to buy on this list, Vaccitech carries a market cap of only $86 million. Therefore, it’s buyer beware regarding potential volatility.

Still, in recent months, circumstances aren’t that bad. Since the Jan. opener, VACC dipped almost 7%. Unfortunately, it’s the trailing year performance that gets folks, with VACC free-falling to the tune of nearly 57%. However, the company itself features a strong balance sheet, with a cash-to-debt ratio of 22.16 times. This ranks above 61.74% of sector peers.

For those that want to swing for the fences, the market prices VACC at a trailing multiple of 17.5. As a discount to earnings, Vaccitech ranks better than 67.29% of the field. Finally, analysts peg VACC as a unanimous strong buy. Their average price target stands at $12.67, implying nearly 466% upside potential.

Chimerix (CMRX)

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Another micro-cap enterprise, Chimerix (NASDAQ:CMRX) focuses on developing a new class of cancer therapies. While potentially intriguing, you want to be super careful about CMRX stock. At the time of writing, shares trade hands at only several cents above a buck. Moreover, CMRX cuts a volatile figure, dropping nearly 34% of equity value since the Jan. opener.

If that wasn’t enough of a wake-up call, Chimerix hemorrhaged 76% in the charts in the trailing one-year period. Still, if you believe CMRX ranks among the biotech stocks to buy, the underlying firm does feature a robust balance sheet. Conspicuously, its cash-to-debt ratio pings at over 105 times, ranked better than 76.46% of the competition.

Operationally, it features a three-year revenue growth rate of 19%, beating out 66% of its peers. Also, its book growth rate during the same period comes in at 17.8%. Lastly, analysts peg CMRX as a consensus moderate buy. Their average price target stands at $8, implying over 545% upside potential.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com Publishing Guidelines.


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