7 Undervalued Biotechnology & Medical Research Stocks for Thursday, May 23

By Jenna Brashear
May 23, 2024
Diamond graphic indicating best value stocks in their industry
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KTTA LADX NBSE PALI SPRB TENX

Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 7 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Biotechnology & Medical Research industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Why Focus on Undervalued Biotechnology & Medical Research Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

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7 Undervalued Biotechnology & Medical Research Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 7 undervalued stocks in the Biotechnology & Medical Research industry for Thursday, May 23, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Biotechnology & Medical Research industry median.

Company Ticker Price/Sales Price/Earnings EV/EBITDA Shareholder Yield Price/Book Value Price/Free Cash Flow Value Grade
Arca Biopharma Inc ABIO na na 1.3 (0.6%) 1.34 na B
Pasithea Therapeutics Corp KTTA na na 0.3 20.0% 0.35 na A
LadRx Corp LADX na 0.9 0.2 (7.4%) 4.22 0.8 B
Neubase Therapeutics Inc NBSE na na 0.8 (70.9%) 0.11 na B
Palisade Bio Inc PALI na na 0.5 (167.0%) 0.39 na B
Spruce Biosciences Inc SPRB 3.05 na 0.9 (28.8%) 0.46 na B
Tenax Therapeutics Inc TENX na na 0.7 (948.2%) 0.36 na B

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Arca Biopharma Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score ABIO Industry Median
Price/Sales na na 7.45
Price/Earnings na na 29.0
EV/EBITDA 4 1.3 1.3
Shareholder Yield 55 (0.6%) (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 40 1.34 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 26.7

ARCA biopharma, Inc. is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company engaged in developing genetically and other targeted therapies for cardiovascular diseases through a precision medicine approach to drug development. The Company's lead product candidate is Gencaro (bucindolol hydrochloride) for the treatment of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with chronic heart failure (HF). Gencaro is being developed for patients who have a genotype that identifies a drug target associated with heightened efficacy. Gencaro is a pharmacogenetically-targeted beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist with mild vasodilator properties that is developing for the treatment of atrial fibrillation in patients with heart failure. Its Recombinant Nematode Anticoagulant Protein c2 (rNAPc2) (AB201), is a protein therapeutic in clinical development as a potential treatment for patients with COVID-19. It is also evaluating options for development of its assets, including partnering and other strategic options.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Arca Biopharma Inc has a Value Score of 77, which is considered to be undervalued.

Now, let’s assess Arca Biopharma Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 1.3, when compared to the industry median of 1.3, the company may be considered fairly valued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Arca Biopharma Inc’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of (14.20%). Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Arca Biopharma Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 2.20. This could make Arca Biopharma Inc more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Pasithea Therapeutics Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score KTTA Industry Median
Price/Sales na na 7.45
Price/Earnings na na 29.0
EV/EBITDA 1 0.3 1.3
Shareholder Yield 3 20.0% (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 6 0.35 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 26.7

Pasithea Therapeutics Corp. is a biotechnology company focused on the discovery, research and development of treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and other diseases. The Company is advancing a pipeline of three therapeutic product candidates, with a focus on its lead product candidate, PAS-004, a macrocyclic mitogen-activated protein kinase, or MEK inhibitor. PAS-004 is a small molecule allosteric inhibitor of MEK 1 and 2 (MEK 1/2) for potential use in the treatment of a range of RASopathies, including neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and a number of oncology indications, among others. Its remaining two programs, PAS-001 and PAS-003, are in the earlier stages of development and are based on novel targets for the treatment of CNS disorders that it believes address limitations in the treatment paradigm of the indications it plans to address, which are amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for its PAS-003 program, and schizophrenia for its PAS-001 program.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Pasithea Therapeutics Corp has a Value Score of 100, which is considered to be undervalued.

Pasithea Therapeutics Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Pasithea Therapeutics Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.20.

You can read more about Pasithea Therapeutics Corp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

LadRx Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score LADX Industry Median
Price/Sales na na 7.45
Price/Earnings 1 0.9 29.0
EV/EBITDA 1 0.2 1.3
Shareholder Yield 76 (7.4%) (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 78 4.22 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow 1 0.8 26.7

LadRx Corp is a biopharmaceutical research and development company specializing in oncology. The Company focuses on the discovery, research and clinical development of anti-cancer drug candidates that employ technologies that target chemotherapeutic drugs to solid tumors and reduce off-target toxicities. The Company’s linker activated drug release (LADR) technology platform consists of an organic backbone that is attached to a chemo toxic agent. The LADR backbone is to first target and deliver the chemo toxic agent to the tumor environment, and then to release the chemo toxic agent within the tumor. The LADR Technology offers the opportunity for multiple pipeline drugs. The LADR development efforts are focused on two classes of ultra-high potency albumin-binding drugs. These LADR-based drugs, LADRs 7, 8, 9, and 10, combine the proprietary LADR backbone with derivatives of the auristatin and maytansinoid drug classes.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

LadRx Corp has a Value Score of 80, which is considered to be undervalued.

LadRx Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 0.9 compared to the industry median at 29.0. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes LadRx Corp more attractive for value investors.

LadRx Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make LadRx Corp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.20.

You can read more about LadRx Corp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Neubase Therapeutics Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score NBSE Industry Median
Price/Sales na na 7.45
Price/Earnings na na 29.0
EV/EBITDA 2 0.8 1.3
Shareholder Yield 93 (70.9%) (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 1 0.11 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 26.7

NeuBase Therapeutics, Inc. is a preclinical-stage biotechnology company. It is developing a modular peptide-nucleic acid (PNA) antisense oligo (PATrOL) platform to address genetic diseases, with a single, cohesive approach. The Company’s programs are NT-0100 in HD, NT-0200 in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) and NT-0300 in KRAS-driven cancers. The NT-0100 program is a PATrOL-enabled therapeutic program being developed to target the mutant expansion in the HD DNA or RNA. The NT-0200 program is a PATrOL-enabled therapeutic program being developed to target the mutant expansion in the DM1 disease RNA. The NT-0300 program is a PATrOL-enabled therapeutic program being developed to target the mutated KRAS gene. It uses its platform to address diseases which have a genetic source, with an initial focus on gene silencing in DM1, Huntington’s disease (HD), and oncology and in gene editing applications. It also focused on identifying and evaluating multiple indications for potential development.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Neubase Therapeutics Inc has a Value Score of 79, which is considered to be undervalued.

Neubase Therapeutics Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Neubase Therapeutics Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.20.

You can read more about Neubase Therapeutics Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Palisade Bio Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score PALI Industry Median
Price/Sales na na 7.45
Price/Earnings na na 29.0
EV/EBITDA 1 0.5 1.3
Shareholder Yield 97 (167.0%) (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 7 0.39 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 26.7

Palisade Bio, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapeutics for serious chronic gastrointestinal diseases. It is engaged in advancing a PALI-2108 for the treatment of IBD, including UC and CD and are researching PALI-1908. IBD is a chronic condition characterized by inflammation within the gastrointestinal tract. UC primarily affects the colon and the rectum. CD can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. PALI-2108 is a prodrug PDE4 inhibitor that operates through a mechanism within colon tissues, targeting the key enzyme phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4). This enzyme is pivotal in cAMP hydrolysis, and by inhibiting PDE4, intracellular cAMP levels are elevated. This elevation leads to the downregulation of inflammatory cytokines and a reduction in the expression of cell adhesion molecules. By modulating these processes, PALI-2108 prevents the local infiltration and activation of inflammatory cells in the colon tissues.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Palisade Bio Inc has a Value Score of 73, which is considered to be undervalued.

Palisade Bio Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Palisade Bio Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.20.

You can read more about Palisade Bio Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Spruce Biosciences Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score SPRB Industry Median
Price/Sales 69 3.05 7.45
Price/Earnings na na 29.0
EV/EBITDA 3 0.9 1.3
Shareholder Yield 88 (28.8%) (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 9 0.46 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 26.7

Spruce Biosciences, Inc. is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for rare endocrine disorders with significant unmet medical needs. The Company is initially developing its wholly owned product candidate, Tildacerfont, as the potential first non-steroidal therapy for patients suffering from classic congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). It is also developing Tildacerfont for females suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). It has initiated CAHmelia-203, a placebo-controlled, double-blind Phase IIb clinical trial in adult patients with classic CAH with elevated levels of androstenedione (A4) at baseline. It has also initiated CAHmelia-204, a second Phase IIb clinical trial in adult patients with classic CAH on supraphysiologic doses of glucocorticoids with normal or near normal levels of A4 at baseline focused on glucocorticoid reduction. The Company also investigates tildacerfont for the treatment of classic CAH in children.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Spruce Biosciences Inc has a Value Score of 61, which is considered to be undervalued.

Spruce Biosciences Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Spruce Biosciences Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.20.

You can read more about Spruce Biosciences Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Tenax Therapeutics Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Metric Score TENX Industry Median
Price/Sales na na 7.45
Price/Earnings na na 29.0
EV/EBITDA 2 0.7 1.3
Shareholder Yield 100 (948.2%) (14.2%)
Price/Book Value 6 0.36 2.20
Price/Free Cash Flow na na 26.7

Tenax Therapeutics, Inc. is a Phase 3 development-stage pharmaceutical company. The Company is focused on identifying, developing, and commercializing products that address cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases with high unmet medical needs. The Company's products include TNX-201 (oral enteric coated imatinib) and TNX-103 (oral levosimendan). The Company is developing dosing and a formulation of imatinib mesylate, a kinase inhibitor for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The Company’s other programs include TNX-101 (IV), TNX-102 (subcutaneous) and TNX-103 (oral) levosimendan. Levosimendan is a calcium sensitizer/K-ATP activator developed for intravenous use in hospitalized patients with acutely decompensated heart failure. The Company has completed the Phase II trial of levosimendan in patients with PH and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF).

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Tenax Therapeutics Inc has a Value Score of 71, which is considered to be undervalued.

Tenax Therapeutics Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Tenax Therapeutics Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 2.20.

You can read more about Tenax Therapeutics Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

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Other Biotechnology & Medical Research Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Biotechnology & Medical Research stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 7 Best Biotechnology & Medical Research Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

  • Arca Biopharma Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Pasithea Therapeutics Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
  • LadRx Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Neubase Therapeutics Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Palisade Bio Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Spruce Biosciences Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
  • Tenax Therapeutics Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 7 undervalued stocks in the Biotechnology & Medical Research industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Learn More About A+ Investor

Additional Resources About Biotechnology & Medical Research Stocks

Want to learn more about Biotechnology & Medical Research stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.



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