Most major stock indexes managed to rise modestly over the week. The 30-stock Dow Jones Industrial Average is slightly up by 0.09% while the Total Stock Market Index climbed by 0.19%. The broad S&P 500 inched up by 0.22% and the technology-tracking Nasdaq Stock Market composite climbed by 0.10%. The NYSE Composite advanced by 0.19%. The investor risk perception indicator, the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) rose by 13.27%, suggesting that investors are wary that the market is facing greater volatility risk moving forward.
The stock market begins the fourth quarter on a volatile note after a strong performance during the first three quarters of the year. This is due in large part to elevated uncertainty in four major areas, namely the U.S. labor market, port strikes on the East Coast, tensions in the Middle East, and the approaching presidential elections in the U.S. Over the course of the week, however, the market found some relief in the tentative resolution of the port strike and the U.S. nonfarm jobs report that pleasantly exceeded expectations. The fundamentals of the economy remain solid despite the ongoing geopolitical uncertainties. Through 2025, the Federal Reserve is poised to lower interest rates, inflation continues to slow, and economic growth remains positive.
Moving forward, sources of volatility will continue to persist. The potential walkout by the International Longshoreman’s Association threatens to effectively close operations at every port in the East Gulf States, heightening fears of a new round of broken supply chains should the temporary agreement not be followed by a firmer resolution by mid-January. Furthermore, there are threats of a “more devastating attack” if Israel responds to the 200 missiles Iran fired directly at the central and southern parts of Israel this week, leading to an escalation in the war.
U.S. Economy
In its monthly nonfarm payrolls report, the Labor Department announced that 254,000 new jobs were added by employers in September, which is almost double the consensus estimates. The gains in August were further revised higher. The unemployment rate also inched lower to 4.1%, bringing better-than-expected news in the household survey. Investors appear wary about reacting to the data, however, the payrolls report, while generally upbeat, revealed another monthly decline in manufacturing jobs, the fifth such contraction in 2024. The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) reported on Monday that its gauge of factory activity remained unexpectedly steady at 47.2 in September (below 50 indicates contraction, and above 50 is expansion). On the contrary, it was reported on Wednesday that the ISM’s gauge of services sector activity jumped much higher than expected to 54.9, the highest level it has been in 19 months. On the negative side, the report likewise indicated that price pressures in the sector had increased, to their highest level since the start of 2024.
Metals and Mining
December gold futures ended trading on Friday at $2,665.70 per ounce, down by 0.5% for the day, and prices remained roughly unchanged for the week. According to analysts, despite the headwinds for precious metals, gold is holding up for one reason alone, and that is the risk of a weekend event in the Middle East. Investors do not want to head into the weekend without positioning in some form of insurance. Presently, gold remains the best safe-haven asset to own. A general backdrop of global uncertainty remains a major factor behind the unprecedented rally in precious metals this year, particularly gold, which, some analysts say, may push toward $3,000 per ounce before the year’s end should geopolitical tensions continue to rise.
The spot prices of precious metals ended mixed for the week. Gold closed at $2,653.60 per troy ounce for the week, slightly lower by 0.17% from last week’s close at $2,658.24. Silver ended this week at $32.20 per troy ounce, higher by 2.00% from last week’s price of $31.57. Platinum settled this week at $992.55 per troy ounce, lower by 1.12% than its close last week at $1,003.82. Palladium last traded this week at $1,013.11 per troy ounce, less by 0.30% than its close last week at $1,016.12.
The three-month LME prices of industrial metals were also mixed. Copper dipped by 1.17% from last week’s close at $9,982.50 to close this week at $9,866.00 per metric ton. Aluminum fell 0.66% from its closing price last week of $2,646.50 to close this week at $2,629.00 per metric ton. Zinc rose by 1.12% from last week’s close of $3,089.50 to end this week at $3,124.00 per metric ton. Tin ended higher by 2.42% from its closing price the previous week at $32,913.00 to close this week at $33,709.00 per metric ton.
Energy and Oil
After a protracted dispute over Libya’s Central Bank’s operations and staffing was resolved, the Benghazi government announced that it would reopen all oil fields and export terminals. Furthermore, gas production from Israel’s Leviathan and Tamar fields has restarted after a one-day shutdown caused by Iran’s large-scale missile attack which did not damage important installations. Against this backdrop, oil prices are set to post a $6 per barrel increase week-on-week as ICE Brent futures firmly settled themselves around $78 per barrel. Boosting the geopolitical risk premium are Iran’s missile barrage on Israel and the likelihood of retaliatory action from the Netanyahu government, The focus of the regional tension was such that the oil markets did not notice the lifting of Libya’s oil embargo which returned some 700,000 barrels per day (b/d) of crude oil to the market.
Natural Gas
For the report week covering Wednesday, September 25, to Wednesday, October 2, 2024, the Henry Hub spot price rose by $0.14 from $2.62 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) to $2.76/MMBtu. Concerning Henry Hub futures, the October 2024 NYMEX contract expired last Thursday at $2.585/MMBtu, down by $0.05 from the start of the report week. The November 2024 NYMEX contract price increased to $2.886/MMBtu, up by $0.07 from the start to the end of the report week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging November 2024 through October 2025 futures contracts climbed $0.05 to $3.246/MMBtu.
Regarding regional spot prices, natural gas prices rose at most locations. Price changes ranged from a decrease of $0.35 at the Algonquin Citygate in the Northeast to an increase of $1.44 at the Waha Hub.
International natural gas futures prices increased this report week. The weekly average front-month futures prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in East Asia increased by $0.13 to a weekly average of $13.16/MMBtu. Natural gas futures for delivery at the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) in the Netherlands increased by $1.04/MMBtu to a weekly average of $12.58/MMBtu. In the same week last year corresponding to this report week, (the week from September 27 to October 4, 2023), the prices were $14.44/MMBtu in East Asia and $12.11/MMBtu at the TTF.
World Markets
The escalation of conflicts in the Middle East made European investors cautious, causing the pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index to fall by 1.80% in local currency terms for the week. Major stock indexes also took a nosedive with Italy’s FTSE MIB plummeting by 3.26%, France’s CAC 40 Index losing by 3.21%, and Germany’s DAX declining by 1.81%. The UK’s FTSE 100 gave up 0.48%. As growth and inflation slow, the ECB’s rate cut is coming into view. The Purchasing Manager’s Indexes (PMIs) indicate a weaker eurozone growth and inflation fell below the 2% target of the European Central Bank (ECB). Both combined strengthened expectations that the central bank will cut interest rates later this month. In the eurozone, annual headline inflation slowed to 1.8% in September, which is the lowest reading since April 2021 and below forecasts for 1.9%. In August, core inflation likewise eased to 2.7% from 2.8%. For September, the eurozone composite PMI reading was revised higher to 49.6 from 48.9, thus moving closer to 50, the borderline when the PMI shifts from contraction to expansion.
Japan’s equities markets underwent a deep and sudden sell-off at the start of the week as investors came to terms with the country’s latest political developments. The Liberal Democratic Party’s (LDP’s) closely contested leadership election was won by Shigeru Ishiba (who was known to adopt a hawkish tone) on Friday, September 27. The surprise win over rival Sanae Takaichi in a runoff vote made Ishiba the new Prime Minister of Japan. The new prime minister’s known hawkish stance initially strengthened the yen and sent stock markets lower. Over the rest of the week, stock markets recovered some of their losses as Ishiba adopted a more dovish position than we have traditionally known to have. The result was a weakening of the yen to around JPY 146 against the USD from about JPY 142 at the end of the previous week. The Nikkei 225 Index and the broader TOPIX Index still registered losses of 3.0% and 1.7% respectively for the week. On the economic policy front, Ishiba committed to continue the path laid out by this predecessor, Fumio Kishida. He called for intensive efforts to overcome deflation without risking a reversal of the virtuous cycle. Ishiba admonished his cabinet to draw up a stimulus package to boost regional economies while simultaneously supporting households struggling with inflation.
In a holiday-shortened week of trading, Chinese stocks surged as optimism about Beijing’s comprehensive support measures offset the lackluster data. The Shanghai Composite Index rose by 8.06% and the blue-chip CSI 300 Index gained 8.48%. The Hong Kong benchmark Hang Seng Index ascended by 10.2%. The markets were closed on Tuesday for the National Day holiday and will reopen on Monday, October 7. Hong Kong markets were closed on Tuesday but reopened on Wednesday. For the fifth consecutive month, Chinese factory activity contracted amid weak demand. According to the country’s statistics office, the official manufacturing PMI climbed to an above-consensus 49.8 in September from 49.1 in August. It was an improvement but it remained below 50 and in contraction territory. For all but three months since April 2023, the manufacturing PMI has been in contraction. The non-manufacturing PMI, the measure of construction and services activity, dipped to a lower-than-expected 50 in September. This is its lowest level in 21 months. According to the China Real Estate Information Corporation, the value of the new home sales by China’s top 100 developers fell by 37.7% in September year-on-year, speeding up from August’s 26.8% drop.
The Week Ahead
The CPI and PPI inflation data and an analysis of consumer sentiment are among the important releases scheduled for the coming week.
Key Topics to Watch
Fed Governor Michelle Bowman speaks (Oct. 7)
Consumer credit for Sep.
St. Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem speaks (Oct. 7)
Fed Governor Adriana Kugler speaks in Europe (Oct. 8)
NFIB optimism index for Sept.
U.S. trade deficit for Aug.
Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic speaks (Oct. 8)
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson speaks (Oct. 8)
Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic gives welcoming remarks (Oct. 9)
Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan speaks (Oct. 9)
Wholesale inventories for Aug.
Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee gives opening remarks (Oct. 9)
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson speaks (Oct. 9)
Minutes of Fed’s September FOMC meeting (Oct. 9)
San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly speaks (Oct. 9)
Initial jobless claims for Oct. 5
Consumer price index for Sept.
Core CPI for Sept.
CPI year over year
Core CPI year over year
Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook speaks (Oct, 10)
Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin speaks (Oct. 10)
New York Fed President John Williams speaks (Oct.10)
Producer price index for Sept.
Core PPI for Sept.
PPI year over year
Core PPI year over year
Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee gives opening remarks (Oct. 11)
Consumer sentiment (prelim) for Oct.
Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan speaks (Oct. 11)
Federal Reserve Governor Michelle Bowman speaks (Oct. 11)
Last week saw the first notably broad advance since mid-April. All major US stock indexes are up for the week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA), a narrow 30-stock index, rose by 1.59% while the Dow Jones Total Stock Market climbed by 1.25%. The broad S&P 500 Index increased by 0.87% and the technology-heavy Nasdaq Stock Market Composite rose slightly by l0.25%., although it saw record intraday highs. The NYSE Composite added 2.25%. The risk perception indicator CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) dipped by 0.16%.
The biggest advance was achieved by the small-cap Russell 2000 Index which gained 6.00% making this its best week since early November. While value stocks easily outperformed growth stocks, trading volumes were light over much of the week due to this being the summer vacation season and the fact that investors were awaiting major earnings reports. The official start of the earnings season was on Friday. Second-quarter earnings releases from Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and JPMorgan Chase kicked off the beginning of the season. Analysts expect growth in overall earnings registered by the S&P 500 to surge from 5.9% in the first quarter to 9.3% in the second quarter. This would mark the fastest pace since the first quarter of 2022.
U.S. Economy
Thursday’s release of the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI) appeared to be the single major factor market mover this past week. Headline prices fell by 0.1% in June, which marked the first decline of this inflation indicator since the start of pandemic lockdowns in May 2020. Better yet, core prices (excluding food and energy prices which are most volatile) rose by 0.1% which was lower than expected – the slowest pace in more than three years. Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee described the data as “profoundly encouraging” as it signaled that inflation was on its way back to the Fed’s annual 2.0% target.
Friday’s producer price index (PPI) data complicated the inflation story and its implications for the market. Headline PPI rose slightly more than expected at 2.0% in June, while May’s reduction was also revised upward to flat. The core PPI reading (excluding food, energy, and trade services), which came in unchanged for the month, seemed to please investors. Consistent with the overall economy, input inflation trends remained concentrated in services, particularly vehicle wholesaling and machinery. In analysts’ view, inflation remains “sticky” in certain key categories. Food inflation has moderated, but it appears to have settled above its pre-pandemic range. Momentum in agricultural prices and the recent uptick in restaurant prices suggest that there remains some upside risk.
Metals and Mining
Investors are wary, based on analysts’ warnings, that the consolidation of the precious yellow metal will come to an end when the market perceives a clear signal from the Federal Reserve that it will ease restrictions in its monetary policy. The week’s developments point to a definite rate cut as early as September. Fed Chair Jerome Powell, testifying before Congress last week, stated that the situation is relatively normal and high inflation is not the only risk to the economy. Gold investors received even more encouraging news after Powell’s comments as core consumer inflation rose at its slowest rate since 2021. Similarly, the US labor market is slowing, This, combined with the easing of inflation pressures, signals the likelihood that the Fed will soon be cutting rates. The current trajectory of the economy shows a clear trend and the labor market has peaked, allowing the Fed enough wiggle room to start cutting interest rates.
The spot market for precious metals ended mixed for the week. Gold climbed by 0.81% from last week’s closing price of $2,392.16 to end the week at $2,411.43 per troy ounce. Silver dipped by 1.38% from its closing price last week of $31.22 to settle this week at $30.79 per troy ounce. Platinum ended this week at $1,003.92 per troy ounce, 2.54% lower than last week’s closing price of $1,030.09. Palladium ended the week at $971.77 per troy ounce, 5.61% lower than its last price a week ago of $1,029.57. The three-month LME prices of industrial metals are also mixed. Copper, which last traded a week ago at $9,944.00, settled this week at $9,786.50 per metric ton, down by 1.58%. Aluminum closed the week at $2,476.50 per metric ton, lower by 2.33% from its last weekly close of $2,535.50. Zinc, which closed last week at $3,001.00, ended this week at $2,959.00 per metric ton, for a loss of 1.40%. Tin gained by 2/34% from its last weekly close of $33,874.00 to end this week at $34,666.00 per metric ton.
Energy and Oil
A slight downward correction for oil prices opened this week as the anticipated impact from Hurricane Beryl turned out to be less damaging than first expected. Constructive macroeconomic data have, however, reversed the initial correction. The fed will likely push through with the September interest cut long expected by the market, with US consumer prices falling for the first time in four years last month. Against this backdrop, ICE Brent rose above $85 per barrel once more. Elsewhere, the International Energy Agency (IEA) foresees weakness in the global demand. The IEA reported the lowest quarterly increase in global demand in over a year as consumption rose by 710,000 barrels per day (b/d) in the second quarter. The report opined that China’s exceptional growth was coming to an end, thus cutting the 2025 outlook further to 970,000 b/d.
Natural Gas
For the report week from Wednesday, July 3 to Wednesday, July 10, 2024, the Henry Hub spot price rose by $0.32 from $2.05 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) to $2.37/MMBtu. Regarding the Henry Hub futures, the price of the August 2024 NYMEX contract decreased by $0.089, from $2.418/MMBtu at the start of the report week to $2.329/MMBtu at the end of the report week. The price of the 12-month strip averaging August 2024 through July 2025 futures contracts fell by $0.077 to $3.001/MMBtu.
International natural gas futures prices declined for this report week. The weekly average front-month futures prices for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes in East Asia fell by $0.08 to a weekly average of $12.49/MMBtu. Natural gas futures for delivery at the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) in the Netherlands, the most liquid natural gas market in Europe, decreased by $0.13 to a weekly average of $10.51/MMBtu. In the week last year corresponding to this report week (the week beginning July 5 and ending July 12, 2023), the prices were $12.04/MMBtu in East Asia and $9.78/MMBtu at the TTF.
World Markets
European stocks ended the week generally higher. The pan-European STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 1.45%, taking its cue from the US report of lower-than-expected inflation data. Major stock indexes in the region likewise climbed. Italy’s FTSE MIB gained 1.74%, Germany’s DAX rose by 1.48%, and France’s CAC 40 Index added 0.63%. French and German sovereign bond yields fell in tandem with US Treasury yields in response to US inflation slowing down by more than expected. Also falling across most of the curve are UK gilt yields. They ticked up at the very front end, however, as economic growth in May was higher than expected, increasing uncertainty concerning the likelihood that the Bank of England (BoE) would ease monetary policy. Three BoE policymakers expressed reluctance to vote in favor of lower borrowing costs, for which reason the markets have scaled back bets on a rate cut at the BoE’s meeting scheduled for August 1. Chief Economist Huw Pill, Jonathan Haskel, and Catherine Mann, the three BoE rate-setters, indicate that they prefer to keep rates steady until proof emerges that services inflation is poised for a sustained decrease.
Japan’s stocks pulled back at the end of the week from the record highs they reached on Thursday. In the foreign exchange markets, speculation was heightened that authorities intervened to support the yen. The yen surged in value against the US dollar, fueling the speculation of an intervention which was further reinforced by a Nikkei report that the BoJ conducted rate checks after the yen climbed. A strong yen makes Japanese assets more expensive for foreign investors and hurts the profit outlook for Japan’s export-focused industries. As investors assessed the outlook for monetary policy after the yen’s sharp rebound, the yield on 10-year Japanese government bonds (JGB) eased to around 1.05%, a two-week low. As hopes for a US interest rate cut intensified on soft US inflation data, Japanese yields also tracked US Treasury yields lower. In July, the BoJ came under pressure to raise interest rates again to defend the currency and reduce the difference between foreign and domestic bond yields. Regarding the economy, a leading indicator of capital spending in the coming six to nine months, core machine orders, declined unexpectedly for the second straight month in May. The decline is attributable to a sharp decrease in the nonmanufacturing sector. Meanwhile, strong rebounds in the output of motor vehicles, electrical machinery, and other machinery resulted in an upward revision in May’s production growth from 2.8% to 3.6%.
China’s stocks registered gains on the back of strong export data that offset concerns about deflationary pressures. The blue-chip CSI 300 rose by 1.2% while the Shanghai Composite Index added 0.72%. Hong Kong’s benchmark Hang Seng Index surged by 2.77%. In June, exports exceeded forecasts, climbing by 8.6% year-on-year, up from May’s 7.6% growth. The strength in overseas demand was attributed to manufacturers frontloading shipments ahead of potential tariff hikes from several major trading partners. Imports unexpectedly shrank by 2.3% in June, however. This figure is down from May’s 1.8% gain amid weak domestic demand. China’s overall trade surplus rose to USD 99.05 billion, a multi-decade high, from USD 82.62 billion in May. The country’s consumer price index increased by a lower-than-expected 0.2% in June year-on-year, which is narrower than May’s 0.3% rise. Core inflation (excluding food and energy costs) rose by 0.6%, the same as in May. Despite numerous measures to spur growth, China’s economic recovery has been uneven this year, weighed down by the protracted property slump and weak domestic demand that have restrained consumer prices.
The Week Ahead
June reports regarding housing starts and building permits, industrial production, and retail sales data are among the important economic releases in the coming week.
Key Topics to Watch
Empire State manufacturing survey for July
Fed Chairman Powell speaks (July 15)
U.S. retail sales for June
Retail sales minus autos for June
Import price index for June
Import price index minus fuel for June
Business inventories for May
Home builder confidence index for July
Fed Gov. Kugler speaks (July 16)
Housing starts for June
Building permits for June
Industrial production for June
Capacity utilization for June
Fed Beige Book
Initial jobless claims for July 13
Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey for July
U.S. leading economic indicators for June
New York Fed President Williams speaks (July 19)
Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic speaks (July 19)
With the current market environment it can be tough to know what companies to look at when it comes to investing. We have been waiting for an opportune time to put our research to work, and now we believe the markets in this sector have evolved to a point where we can start giving you some information to base your research on. If you are interested in hearing more about this sector, simply enter your email in the box provided and we will send you our information as it becomes available. Thank you
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) – the “Berkshire Hathaway of Tech-Enabled Healthcare” – Could Be the Next Giant Healthtech Conglomerate
When Warren Buffett first bought Berkshire Hathaway in 1962, it was nothing more than a struggling textile mill.
Today, it is a $600+ billion conglomerate juggernaut,[1] owning businesses ranging from insurance and utilities to railroads and chemicals.
Berkshire’s journey from humble mill to giant conglomerate is incredible. Unfortunately,the Berkshire of today is far too huge to generate the kind of returns that can truly change individual investors’ lives.
It has become “just another” blue-chip stock – and one that some think has come in late or missed the boat entirely on many disruptive technologies.
But there’s one fast-growing company that is in a position to have a profound impact on investor returns. It has learned from companies like Berkshire, incorporating what is arguably Berkshire’s greatest strength – its operating structure…
Where the holding company acts like a giant institutional investor, seeking out operating companies to invest in that can generate the highest ROI…
And letting these subsidiaries operate independently with minimal interference, while the holding company does what it does best – efficiently allocating capital.
But this company has learned from Berkshire’s mistakes – and even improved on its operating model.
What’s this company, you may ask? None other than WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF).
WELL firmly understands that technology is the future, and is committed to fully capitalizing on this wave…
Plus, it is only focused on acquiring companies within the multi-trillion-dollar healthcare sector, which allows it to generate powerful value-boosting synergies among its acquisitions (something that Berkshire does not focus on due to its divergent scope of investments).
And its biggest investor? Multi-billionaire Sir Li Ka-Shing – ranked the 43rd richest person in the world with a networth of $34.6 billion[2] and nicknamed “Superman Li” for his business prowess.
That’s why it could be no exaggeration to say that…
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) is the “Berkshire Hathaway of Tech-Enabled Healthcare” – and the Company Could Be on the Cusp of a Major Growth Spurt
Much like Berkshire started in the textile business, WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)began as a humble medical clinic operator.
And in just a few short years, it has grown to become a billion-dollar omni-channel company with 7 different healthcare business lines, including health clinics, electronic medical records (EMR), telehealth, digital apps, billing and cybersecurity…
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)owns 27 primary healthcare clinics in North America – the largest network in BC and the third-largest in Canada…
It operates a multi-national EMR business including its OSCAR Pro EMR asset, which is the third-largest EMR service provider in Canada (a $26.1 billion global market that’s expected to hit $39.4 billion within 5 years[3])…
Its leading Canadian telehealth service conducts thousands of patient visits daily using its software.
All this was done through disciplined and accretive acquisitions, with shareholder dilution always being carefully managed.
And although its stock has shot up by 313% since 2020[4]…
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) Remains Substantially Undervalued Compared to Its Peers…
Even though…
Its EBITDA already turned positive in the fourth quarter of 2020, with a 53% revenue growth for the year…
It’s just completed a major acquisition that would add approximately C$175 million in revenues and C$72 million in EBITDA to its earnings…
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)has 10 signed letters of intent that could add another C$100+ million to its annual revenues by the end of 2021…
And it’s planning a US IPO by the end of the year.
*Share Price and Market cap taken from Yahoo Finance on April 14, 2021
**This revenue figure is inclusive of the company’s recent (completed) acquisition of CRH Medical, estimated to be on a runrate basis based on consensus estimates.
When compared to others in the industry, WELL’s peer group trades at 10x to 20x revenue multiples, while WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)trades at an EV to sales multiple of just 5x.
This means that although the company is far from being a risky early-stage startup company…
It still has plenty of room to grow, particularly as it continues to ramp up its acquisitions…
Which could place WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)in the perfect risk-reward “sweet spot” for investors…
But this window of opportunity may be closing, as analysts expect its valuations to increase to a range more in line with its peers once the US IPO happens.
8 Reasons WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) Could Be the Healthtech Play of the Future
Multi-channel Capability: With healthcare clinics, EMR services, telehealth offerings, digital apps, and more, the company is truly multi-channel, multi-service, and omni-channel in nature – able to offer both in-person and digital solutions to patients, healthcare professionals, and clinics. This allows the company to not only benefit from all aspects of the healthcare industry, but also provides defensive diversification qualities.
Track Record of Accretive Acquisitions: WELL Health(TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)has a solid track record of buying profit-generating companies that can continually add value to its bottom line – all with carefully-controlled shareholder dilution. For instance, due to its acquisition of CRH Health, it is expected to experience 120% accretion to revenue and 800% accretion to EBITDA on a per share basis. However, shareholder dilution was limited to a mere 17%.
Value-Boosting Synergies Within Business Lines: Post-acquisition, the company also has multiple opportunities to add further value to its acquisitions via internal synergies within its business lines. For example, the company is planning to cross-sell its digital services to CRH Health’s network of over 3,000 Gastroenterologist physicians, which are currently generally digitally underserved.
Rapid Acquisition and Growth Strategy: Within the first three months of 2021 alone, WELL Health(TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)has already announced six acquisitions – one of which is a major US player. The company also has another 10 signed letters of intent that could add C$100+ million to annual revenues. Further, recent acquisition CRH Medical is itself a proven M&A player with a track record of 32 acquisitions and over 500 active deal targets.
Strong Investor Base: Multi-billionaire Li Ka-shing is a strategic investor in the company, among other institutional investors such as Manulife, CI Investments, Sentry Investments, Iconiq Capital, Fiera Capital, and the PenderFund Capital. Li Ka-shing and his partner personally led a C$302.5 million equity raise for the CRH Medical acquisition with their own investment of C$100M at an unprecedented 25% premium to market (based on the 5 day VWAP before announcement) – the additional C$202.5M came from the other institutional investors at the same premium.
Well Funded With a Strong Balance Sheet: WELL Health(TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) boasts C$87 million in cash as at end-2020 – with zero debt. Only recently did the company take on some debt as part of the CRH Medical acquisition. However, even said debt facility was obtained at highly cost-effective rates of between 1.5% to 3.25% depending on leverage ratios.
Future US IPO Listing: The company’s targeted US IPO in late 2021 will provide an additional cash infusion that it can use to turbocharge its acquisition strategy. Further, analysts also expect a US listing to push the company’s valuation upwards to a level more in line with its peers. WELL is grossly undervalued when compared against US comps.
Proven Management Team with Skin in the Game: WELL Health’s(TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)management team are all veterans of Tio Networks, a multichannel bill payment processor that was acquired by PayPal for C$304 million in 2017.[13] They’re also all heavily invested in the company, with the CEO personally investing approximately C$6 million in company stock – and never having sold a single share or taken a dollar of cash as salary thus far.
With all these factors in its favor, WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)is…
Well-Positioned to Capitalize on the Massive Digital Transformation Wave Sweeping Through the Healthcare Industry
The health crisis has accelerated digital transformation in all areas, and healthcare is no exception.
For proof of this, look no further than telehealth.
In 2019, research firm Fortune Business Insights[14] estimated the size of the global telehealth market at “only” $61.4 billion…
By 2027, it expects that number to hit $559.5 billion, a compound annual growth rate of over 25%. That’s an astounding growth rate that shows just how big the digital transformation opportunity in healthcare is.
Because although telehealth could soon be worth hundreds of billions, it’s still just one part of the larger digital transformation opportunity…
And WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) is strongly positioned to benefit from all aspects of this opportunity thanks to its multi-pronged approach to healthcare tech.
Beyond that, each new acquisition generates incremental opportunities for its existing subsidiaries, meaning the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
Just like how…
WELL’s (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) Recent Acquisition of CRH Medical Could Soon Turn the Company into a North American Digital Health Powerhouse
CRH Medical is a major player in the US gastroenterology (GI) market, with 72 GI ambulatory service centers, 411 GI providers, and over 3,200 GI providers trained to use its products and services.
This alone is already enough to generate over C$175 million in annual revenues, with an incredible 26% free cash flow margin.
Yet as investment bank Eight Capital said in a recent research report[15]…
“CRH’s +72 clinic footprint remains digitally underpenetrated, providing a greenfield opportunity for cross-sell. We expect the introduction of a telehealth offering to optimize consumer reach and patient in- and outflow. Plans for the development of a GI-focused app will expand CRH’s reach, increase traffic to clinics, and push product sales.”
In other words, the additional C$175+ million in revenues – not to mention C$72 million in EBITDA and C$45 million in free cash flow – is just the beginning of CRH Medical’s potential…
Because once WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)integrates its digital health offerings with CRH Medical, it could be well on its way toward becoming the next North American digital health powerhouse.
Not to mention that CRH Medical is itself planning to swiftly expand its network and offerings through acquisitions (it has 500 active deal targets in its pipeline)…
Meaning the cross-sell synergies will have a powerful multiplier effect even years down the line.
The best part? All this was done with only a 17% shareholder dilution for Well Health’s (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)shareholders.
It’s all thanks to the support of the company’s strong investor base, who were all too happy to put in their money at a 25% market premium (investors in this round included every member of its board and most of its management team, including the CEO and CFO of the company)…
Because they realized that the CRH Medical acquisition puts WELL Health in a great position for a US listing…
A powerful catalyst that is widely expected to drive its valuations up toward the ranges offered by its peers.
But while much focus has been (rightfully) given toward the company’s CRH Medical acquisition…
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) Has Been Steadily Conquering the Digital Healthcare Industry, One Acquisition at a Time
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) is a diversified healthtech conglomerate that is rapidly making inroads in all aspects of digital health…
Just look at all of its businesses that it already has:
Like the $26.1 billion EMR market, an industry that is quickly growing as clinics scramble to digitize…
Because EMR is the “enterprise backbone” of a clinic, a system that manages everything from the backend database to the frontend point of sale…
Meaning clinics are unlikely to be able to remain competitive in the modern healthcare market for long without an EMR system.
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) is already the third-largest player in Canada for EMR…
Its main EMR offering – OSCAR Pro – is also open source, giving it greater versatility compared to its competitors. It has been a market share taker in Canada because of its strong interoperability with a large community of third-party app developers.
The company is also quickly adding to its EMR business line with other acquisitions, such as IntraHealth, an enterprise class EMR vendor with customers in Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
Meanwhile, it’s also transitioning clinics owned by newly-acquired subsidiaries over to its EMR platform – showing just how easily the company can generate internal synergies.
Another example is its acquisition of Silicon Valley – and Y Combinator-backed – company Circle Medical.
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)completed a majority stake investment in Circle Medical in November 2020.
Yet in the past four months, Circle Medical’s revenues have nearly doubled…
This highlights Well Health’s (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)specialty – strategically allocating capital to undervalued companies that are usually on the cusp of greater growth, which makes the company…
A Fast-Growing, Diversified, and Undervalued Healthtech Play With Multiple Catalysts on the Horizon
Investors looking to invest in the digital transformation that is happening in the trillion-dollar healthcare industry face a common dilemma…
The industry is so vast, with so many different sub-sectors (both B2B and B2C) that they may not even know where to start.
Even if they did know about the various sub-sectors, they would need to invest in many different companies to have a truly holistic and diversified exposure…
Or, they could choose to invest in the large multi-billion dollar health conglomerates – where most of the major returns have already been snatched up years ago by early investors.
WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX:WELL) could be the answer to that dilemma…
It offers investors:
Diversified exposure to the entire tech-enabled healthcare market with a single investment…
Strong near-term growth opportunities thanks to multiple catalysts on the horizon – such as its expansion into the US from its CRH Medical acquisition plus its planned US IPO, as well as its 10 pending signed LOIs…
Long-term value from disciplined and accretive acquisitions that also benefit from internal synergies…
All at a price that analysts consider substantially undervalued.
So, instead of spending all that time and effort untangling the complex web that is healthtech, just to find a company that may or may not pan out…
Why not look at a company whose sole specialty is finding undervalued profit-generating companies across the entire healthtech spectrum, and then consolidating and modernizing them to create even more value?
In other words, why not let WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF)do the work for you?
There’s a reason the company was recognized as a TSX Venture 50 company for three years in a row[16]…
Plus, its management team’s track record speaks for itself.
WELL Health Technologies Corp.’s (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) Has a Management Team Consisting of Nothing but Proven Veterans
Hamed Shahbazi – Chairman & CEO
With over 20 years as a technology-focused operator, Shahbazi has a razor-sharp understanding of the intricacies of identifying opportunities and generating value in the sector. He was the founder of TIO Networks, originally a kiosk solution provider before Shahbazi transitioned it into a multichannel payment solution provider specializing in bill payments and other financial services. As a result, the company was acquired by PayPal in 2017 for C$304 million.
Shahbazi has extensive experience in strategic mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, both as an operator and board member, with more than a dozen successful transactions. He is also the Lead Independent Director for mediatech company BBTV Corp, as well as the owner and operator of Impactreneur Capital Corp, which has over a dozen investments in leading digital content, ehealth, insurtech, and other technology inspired companies.
Dr. Michael Frankel – Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Frankel has 29 years of experience as a general practitioner in the Lower Mainland, giving him a wealth of experience in the medical industry. But more than just being a doctor, Dr. Frankel is also a healthcare investor and businessman, owning and operating a portfolio of successful primary healthcare facilities. This gives him a deep understanding of what healthcare facilities are lacking and how they can be improved – a crucial piece of WELL Health’s (TSX:WELL) strategy.
Eva Fong, FCCA, CPA, CGA – Chief Financial Officer
As the VP in charge of corporate strategy and M&A at TIO Networks, Fong intimately understands the full lifecycle of M&A transactions, from prospecting to integration and regulatory compliance management.
Her 25 years of experience includes Fortune 500 public company management, M&A, corporate strategy development, risk and compliance, and finance and business shared services programs. She’s held senior leadership positions in various high-tech sectors including PayPal, TIO Networks, SAP, and 360networks, where she led business units and built best-in-class corporate culture.
Amir Javidan – Chief Operations Officer
In his over 15 years of experience as a technology and operations executive, Javidan has been involved in two successful exits. Most recently, he was the SVP of Operations for TIO Networks, overseeing its C$304 million buyout by PayPal. Before that, he was at Avigilon, an integrated cloud and AI-powered solutions company, where he helped scale the business from a “stealth mode” startup to a public company worth over C$1 billion. He also helped take its revenue to over C$100M in five years.
RECAP: 10 Reasons Investors Should Seriously Consider Adding WELL Health Technologies Corp. (TSX: WELL – OTC: WLYYF) to Their Portfolios
It is a multi-channel, multi-product healthtech conglomerate that has the capability to benefit from multiple areas of the industry
A proven track record of accretive acquisitions of profit-generating businesses – all with carefully controlled dilution
Internal synergies from cross-selling can further boost the value of its acquisitions
Rapid acquisition and growth strategy gives it strong potential in a lucrative industry
Significantly undervalued compared to its peers; for example, its peer group trades at 10x to 20x revenue multiples, while WELL trades at 5x EV to Sales multiple.
Planned US IPO listing is widely expected to bring its valuations to a range more in line with its peers
Strong investor base including multi-billionaire Li Ka Shing plus other institutional investors, all of whom have shown willingness to pump in capital to support acquisitions
Proven management team with skin in the game that have executed successful M&As and exits
Multiple business lines within the healthtech industry provides defensiveness plus a hybrid physical-virtual competitive moat
Already a significant player within multiple lucrative business lines (such as EMR and telehealth) but with plenty of room to grow remaining
DISCLAIMER: Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Biotech Today is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Maynard Communication Limited (“MCL”). MCL has been paid a fee for WELL Health Technologies Corp. advertising and digital media from Market Jar Media Inc. There may be 3rd parties who may have shares of WELL Health Technologies Corp., and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MCL does not own any shares of WELL Health Technologies Corp. MCL will not buy or sell shares of WELL Health Technologies Corp. for a minimum of 72 hours from the publication date on this website (May 5, 2021), but reserve the right to buy and sell, and will buy and sell shares of WELL Health Technologies Corp. at any time thereafter without any further notice. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material disseminated by MCL has been approved by the above mentioned company; this is a paid advertisement, and we own shares of the mentioned company that we will sell, and we also reserve the right to buy shares of the company in the open market, or through further private placements and/or investment vehicles.
While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.
There are two types of healthcare companies that stand out as the biggest potential winners of 2021: companies that are able to produce a widely used vaccine or treatment for certain virus’, and resilient firms that held tough through the worst of 2020 and can benefit from a gradual return to normalcy.
Healthcare technology, commonly referred to as “healthtech,” refers to the use of technologies developed for the purpose of improving any and all aspects of the healthcare system. From telehealth to robotic-assisted surgery, our guide will walk you through what it is and how it’s being used.
Healthcare technology refers to any IT tools or software designed to boost hospital and administrative productivity, give new insights into medicines and treatments, or improve the overall quality of care provided. Today’s healthcare industry is a $2 trillion behemoth at a crossroads. Currently being weighed down by crushing costs and red tape, the industry is looking for ways to improve in nearly every imaginable area. That’s where healthtech comes in. Tech-infused tools are being integrated into every step of our healthcare experience to counteract two key trouble spots: quality and efficiency.
The way we purchase healthcare is becoming more accessible to a wider group of people through the insurance technology industry, sometimes called “insurtech.” Patient waiting times are declining and hospitals are more efficiently staffed thanks to artificial intelligence and predictive analytics. Even surgical procedures and recovery times are being reduced thanks to ultra-precise robots that assist in surgeries and make some procedures less evasive.
This is a very broad sector that can go in many directions, for more information on this sector please enter your email address in the box provided on this page and we will be more than happy to let you know when more information becomes available.
With so many companies coming to the front line during these trying times, we did a ton of research to find a company with the best structure, and more importantly, the strongest fundamentals with the most upside potential as an investment for you to look at.
Take a look at the company we’ve outlined below. It’s relatively unknown (at the moment), but that won’t last for long. This is a great example of one of those stories you hear about when that ‘guy’ bought a stock really cheap, and 6 months later was a millionaire, and for good reason!
Emerging Biotech developer BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV, OTC: BVAXF) is making headlines by offering a potentially exceptional entry point with its unique, patented assets.
Prior to 2020, majority of the population only had a passing interest in vaccines and their development. But after a year or more of ongoing lockdowns, hysteria, and confusion, many have dug deeper into the potential for vaccines to get us out of this mess.
We’ve seen medical miracles take place, including the results of Operation Warp Speed, which helped to significantly reduce the preparation and testing time of multiple vaccines designed to attack the SarsCov2 virus.
Now the topic of vaccines is dominating discussions around the world, in terms of their availability, efficacy, costs, and side effects.
And while much of the attention is still being given towards the COVID-19 battle, other MAJOR developments are being made in other illnesses that have until more recently baffled researchers. It’s almost as though our war against COVID-19 has unlocked all types of potential treatments, that only years ago would’ve been shuffled off into the realm of science fiction.
Investing in BioVaxys Technology Corp. CSE: BIOV – OTC: BVAXF at this entry price could yield some serious gains in the very near future!
Now, under “emergency use” designations, Operation Warp Speed is lending itself to allowing researchers to conduct clinical trials simultaneously, rather than sequentially.[1]
The result has been an exceptional year of new vaccines and therapeutics being delivered, including many for ailments that have plagued humanity for much, much longer than the current crisis has.
A new development gaining headlines is a therapeutic vaccine—meaning it can be used a treatment for those who are already ill—that’s believed could significantly extend lives.[2]
And its primary target is for ovarian cancer, of which 21,410 women will be projected to receive a new diagnosis in 2021, while approximately 13,770 will die from it.[3]
It’s a deadly serious cancer, especially because it’s often not spotted until far too late when tumours have spread to the rest of the body. At its core, this treatment is built upon over $100 million in prior R&D investment, and a proven technology—a haptenized cell vaccine.
The technology is incredibly versatile, and is now being developed out by a single company with the team to back it up.
Now after some promising testing results in Europe begin to roll in, and with an emergency use application being prepared for the US FDA for a major breakthrough diagnostic approach to COVID-19, this company has multiple assets worth getting excited over.
Excitement over these forms treatment is coming from a single relatively small cap biotech company with a growing portfolio of very promising assets, including a COVID-19 vaccine, therapeutic vaccines for ovarian cancer and HPV, as well as a potential breakthrough diagnostic platform designed to identify COVID-19 T-cell immunity.
Big things are coming, from a company that’s still very small… for now.
Meet the Up-and-Coming Developer Behind This Platform: BioVaxys Technology Corp.
BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV, OTC: BVAXF) is an early stage biotech company that’s developing viral and oncology vaccine platforms, as well as immuno-diagnostics.
Among these developments, BioVaxys is advancing multiple breakthrough vaccines based on its unique, patented haptenized viral protein technology, including vaccines for both SARS-CoV-2 and ovarian cancer.
At the core of these platforms is a haptenized technology approach, with its SARS-CoV-2 vaccine based upon a haptenized viral protein technology, and an anti-cancer vaccine using a haptenized autologous cell vaccine, initially developed for ovarian cancer.
Also in development is a diagnostic for evaluating the presence or absence of a T cell immune response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
BioVaxys (CSE: BIOV, OTC: BVAXF) has two issued US patents and two patent applications related to its cancer vaccine, and pending patent applications for its SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19) vaccine and diagnostic technologies.
What the company is proposing is a new and different approach than other RNA-based vaccine solutions. To those paying closer attention to the space, BioVaxys is certain that they’re on route to multiple big breakthroughs to come.
What is the “New” Haptenization Platform?
BioVaxys’ approach is based on the established immunological concept that modifying proteins— whether they are viral or tumor antigens—with simple chemicals, called haptens, makes them more visible to the immune system.
The process of haptenization “teaches” a patient’s immune system to recognize and make target proteins more “visible” as foreign, thereby stimulating an immune response. This idea has a long history, beginning with the work of the immunologist and Nobel laureate Karl Landsteiner, who showed in animal models that attaching a small chemical (a hapten) to a protein allowed that protein to be recognized by the immune system even if the animals were originally unresponsive to the protein.
A Proven Platform Used in Ovarian Cancer Trials
BVX-0918A is BioVaxys’ lead haptenized tumor cell vaccine for ovarian cancer. Their cancer vaccine is created by extracting a patient’s own (e.g. ‘autologous’) cancer cells, chemically treating them with a hapten, and re-injecting them into the patient to induce an immune response to proteins which are otherwise not immunogenic.
Haptenization as an immunotherapeutic approach in cancer treatment has been evaluated in both regional and disseminated metastatic tumors. A first-generation single-hapten vaccine achieved positive immunological and clinical results in Phase I/II trials. And so BioVaxys has enhanced this original vaccine approach to now utilize two haptens (“bihaptenization”), which they believe will yield superior results. They also plan to combine the use of their vaccine with anti-CTLA4 and anti-PDA checkpoint antibodies.
Now they’ve secured a partnership with leading privately-held European pharmaceutical company, Procare Health, in Spain to jointly conduct a Phase 1 Clinical Study of BVX-0918A.
“Survival was two to three times what one would expect [in women with advanced ovarian cancer]. There were a couple with five-year survival. “
– Dr. David Berd, Founder & Chief Medical Officer of BioVaxys
As per the terms of the partnership, BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV, OTC: BVAXF) will be responsible for the core technology and vaccine production, with Procare Health overseeing and making an in-kind investment in the clinical program and regulatory planning, CRO management, patient/clinical center recruitment, marketing, and opinion leader management.
Already, the development of the treatment has garnered major headlines in the UK. It’s clear that with other therapeutic vaccines gaining headlines for their ongoing successes—including 4 years later—there is something big happening here.
Headline from the Daily Mail
Joining the Fight Against Sars-CoV-2
BioVaxys’ lead vaccine candidate in preclinical development for SARS-CoV-2 is BVX-0320, a haptenized s-Spike protein which is critical to the virus’ ability to bind to and enter human cells.
Already, the company has witnessed that BVX-0320 elicits a neutralizing antibody response against SARS-CoV-2, as evidenced by further analysis of sera samples from a preclinical animal study of its haptenized viral protein vaccine technology.
Under a BioVaxys-sponsored research collaboration with The Ohio State University (“OSU”) Wexner School of Medicine, OSU researchers observed in a pooled sample that BVX-0320 elicited the production of neutralizing antibodies to SARS-CoV-2. It’s worth noting that OSU is one of the few institutions that has the laboratory capability to study live SARS-CoV-2 virus.
BioVaxys’ antiviral approach entails haptenizing those SARS-CoV-2 viral proteins that are critical to the ability of the virus to bind to and enter human cells. BioVaxys intends to haptenize the S protein or one of its subunits, and evaluate immunogenicity, with the intent of using prior safety and toxicity data of similar haptens from its prior/concurrent autologous cell cancer vaccine program.
Studies have demonstrated that patients recovering from SARS-CoV-2 infection carried helper T-cells that recognized the SARS-CoV-2 S-spike protein, and virus-specific killer T-cells were detected in 70% of the test subjects. As haptenized proteins are known to induce potent T cell responses, the BioVaxys approach could have an advantage over other developing SARS-Cov-2 vaccines.
Upon successful completion of this preclinical phase, BioVaxys plans to take further steps to pursue regulatory approval for a study of its SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in humans.
The BioVaxys method is based on measuring an immune response in a human showing no signs or symptoms of an active SARS-CoV-2 infection by administering a skin test of a subunit of the SARS-CoV-2 S-protein.
If ultimately successful, the diagnostic is intended to provide a low-cost, easy-to-administer, and accurate way to test for the presence of T-cells against SARS-CoV-2. Currently, the available methods of measuring T-cell immunity require a blood draw from the test subject followed by the time-consuming and expensive analysis of the blood sample at specialized laboratories.
BioVaxys’ CEO, James Passin stated, “We are thrilled to further develop and move our novel diagnostic for SARS-CoV-2 T-cell immunity towards commercialization. The mass availability of our low cost and easy-to-administer T-cell immunity diagnostic could help to complement antibody testing and various public health risk mitigation strategies.”
Using New Technology May Be the Exact Key That Unlocks the Door
Now that vaccines are being rolled out around the world, there still remains a need to develop additional vaccine options and solutions, not only for COVID-19, but for some of the world’s most dreaded cancers and afflictions.
BioVaxys has the background and experience in new biotechnology and already has ramped up its research in order to rapidly contribute to the search for effective haptenized vaccines.
BioVaxys Technology Corp. (CSE: BIOV, OTC: BVAXF) has worked intensively with a haptenization process to develop cancer treatments.
Using its haptenization knowledge, BioVaxys already has a patent application related to its SARS-CoV-2 vaccine technology.
BioVaxys Chief Medical Officer Dr. David Berd, has stated, “Given our positive experience with haptenized cancer vaccines, we are optimistic about the potential prospects for developing a haptenized SARS-CoV-2 protein vaccine, since viral proteins are foreign to the human immune system. We look forward to advancing our vaccine technology through the clinical approval process.”
BioVaxys may be a relative newcomer in the biotech space, however their platform is the result of nearly a century of well-respected research and over $100 million invested into the concept that supports the platform developed by a legacy company.
The force behind the development is Dr. David Berd, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of BioVaxys. Berd is a medical oncologist with a lifelong record of clinical research in medical oncology and cancer immunotherapy. He cofounded cancer immunotherapy company AVAX Technologies, is the inventor of the cancer vaccines MVax™ and OVax™ and served as Chief Medical Officer 2005-2008. As National Director for Immunotherapy at Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Dr. Berd investigated the application of the AC vaccine to ovarian cancer.
Previously, Dr. Berd was Professor of Medicine at the renowned Thomas Jefferson University, where he conducted clinical research on melanoma immunotherapy for 20 years. Dr. Berd has published more than 85 original papers in numerous medical journals alongside dozens of editorials, reviews and abstracts and has ten issued patents dealing with cancer vaccines.
Berd is paired with an equally successful operations officer, Kenneth Kovan. Kovan is Founder, President and Chief Operating Officer of BioVaxys with over 30 years of experience in biopharmaceuticals commercial development. He is Corporate Licensing/M&A Partner with Horizon Discovery plc in the United Kingdom, a world leader in gene editing, and Managing Principal & Owner of BinghamHill Ventures, a lifesciences advisory practice that specializes in corporate development, technology licensing, and business planning.
Like Dr. Berd’s experience, Kovan’s professional background includes ties to Thomas Jefferson University in several years of technology transfer with Strategic Marketing with GSK, and Global New Product Development with Wyeth-Ayerst. Kovan also holds a US Patent for a synergistic infectious disease drug combination.
Facing the market is Founder and Chief Executive Officer James Passin, who is a former Fund Manager at FG2 Advisors, LLC, an affiliate of New York-based Firebird Management LLC. Passin has directed and managed over $155 million of equity and debt investment into biotech companies, including Avax Technologies Inc., one of the world’s first cellular immunotherapeutic vaccine companies. He’s currently a director for several public companies.
With experienced veterans like Berd, Kovan and Passin at the helm, BioVaxys is positioned to take advantage of the depth knowledge gained through proven research to pursue a vaccine and leverage its platform.
BioVaxys is applying a new platform to developing a COVID-19 vaccine based on legacy investment of $100+ million in research
The company’s platform is very well established supported by a well-understood mechanism of action, and promising clinical data
BioVaxys has patented its platform and controls all products that use their unique approach
BioVaxys’ platform for haptenized treatment has equal promise in treating forms of cancer; this is no one trick pony
BioVaxys has also filed a patent application for a novel diagnostic platform for detecting T-cell activity, and has been given tentative permission from the FDA to file for pre-Emergency Use Authorization.
No single dominant player can guarantee that they will provide and safe an effective vaccine for COVID-19, leaving the field open for first movers
Big pharma is already seeking collaborations with small biotechs to find solutions that can make their approaches more effective; BioVaxys could be a target
The management team are leaders in the areas of biotechnology and vaccine development with lifetime careers in creating the breakthrough BioVaxys platform
Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. This is a paid advertisement and is neither an offer nor recommendation to buy or sell any security. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Biotech Today is a wholly owned subsidiary of Maynard Communication Limited (“MCL”). MCL has been paid a fee for BioVaxys Technology Corp. advertising and digital media from the company directly. There may be 3rd parties who may have shares of BioVaxys Technology Corp. and may liquidate their shares which could have a negative effect on the price of the stock. This compensation constitutes a conflict of interest as to our ability to remain objective in our communication regarding the profiled company. Because of this conflict, individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision. The owner/operator of MCL own shares of BioVaxys Technology Corp. which were purchased in the open market and through a private placement with the company. MCL reserves the right to buy and sell shares of BioVaxys Technology Corp. in the open market and/or through other investment vehicles, and will buy and sell shares of BioVaxys Technology Corp. commencing immediately without any further notice. We also expect further compensation as an ongoing digital media effort to increase visibility for the company, no further notice will be given, but let this disclaimer serve as notice that all material disseminated by MCL has been approved by the above mentioned company; this is a paid advertisement, we currently own shares of BioVaxys Technology Corp. and will buy and sell shares of the company in the open market, or through private placements, and/or other investment vehicles.
While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in our newsletter is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.
Finding the best biotech companies to invest in can be tricky as volatility often pockmarks the space. Clinical plans don’t always come to fruition and sometimes biotech stocks can suffer at the hands of regulatory decisions from the Food and Drug Administration.
But, once we see certain ‘elements’ we look for in these types of companies, history has shown us unprecedented gains, and they usually come quick.
These types of investments are continuously needed through the life cycle of a biotechnology product. As Brad Loncar of Loncar Investments points out, biotech is a very capital-intensive business. These companies need a lot of money because they are undertaking very risky ventures, plus it takes a lot of money to get through the different stages of development before a treatment or vaccine reaches commercial viability.
If you’re interested in hearing more about these types of companies, feel free to enter your email address in the box provided on this page.
Ex-Gilead Sciences Chief Scientific Officer Norbert Bischofberger has struck a deal with his former employer. The agreement will see Bischofberger’s Kronos Bio buy Gilead’s portfolio of spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) inhibitors and vault into clinical development.
When considering valuation metrics, price-to-earnings ratio has always been the obvious choice. This is because calculations based on earnings are easy and come in handy. However, price-to-sales has emerged as a convenient tool to determine the value of stocks that are incurring losses or are in an early cycle of development, generating meager or no profits.
While a loss-making company with a negative price-to-earnings ratio falls out of investor favor, its price-to-sales could indicate the hidden strength of its business. This underrated ratio is also used to identify a recovery situation or ensure that a company’s growth is not overvalued.
A stock’s price-to-sales ratio reflects how much investors are paying for each dollar of revenues generated by a company.
If the price-to-sales ratio is 1, it means that investors are paying $1 for every $1 of revenues generated by the company. So, it goes without saying that a stock with a price-to-sales below 1 is a good bargain, as investors need to pay less than a dollar for a dollar’s worth.
Thus, a stock with a lower price-to-sales ratio is a more suitable investment than a stock with a high price-to-sales ratio.
Price-to-sales is often preferred over price-to-earnings as companies can manipulate their earnings using various accounting measures. However, sales are harder to manipulate and are relatively reliable.
However, one should keep in mind that a company with high debt and low price-to-sales is not an ideal choice. The high debt level will have to be paid off at some point, leading to further share issuance, rise in market cap and ultimately a higher price-to-sales ratio.
In any case, the price-to-sales ratio used in isolation cannot do the trick. One should also analyze other ratios like Price/Earnings, Price/Book and Debt/Equity before arriving at any investment decision.
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Nothing in this publication should be considered as personalized financial advice. We are not licensed under securities laws to address your particular financial situation. No communication by our employees to you should be deemed as personalized financial advice. Please consult a licensed financial advisor before making any investment decision. We hold no investment licenses and are thus neither licensed nor qualified to provide investment advice. The content in this report or email is not provided to any individual with a view toward their individual circumstances. Biotech Insider is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Market IQ Media Group, Inc. (“MIQ”). Individuals are strongly encouraged to not use this publication as the basis for any investment decision.
While all information is believed to be reliable, it is not guaranteed by us to be accurate. Individuals should assume that all information contained in any of our reports is not trustworthy unless verified by their own independent research. Also, because events and circumstances frequently do not occur as expected, there will likely be differences between the any predictions and actual results. Always consult a licensed investment professional before making any investment decision. Be extremely careful, investing in securities carries a high degree of risk; you may likely lose some or all of the investment.
