Stocks To Watch: Week Of May 7, 2012
European elections, the people's protests of Putin in Russia and Disney's (DIS) 'The Avengers' dominated headlines over the weekend. As the Russian people displayed their dismay with the re-election of Vladimir Putin in Russia, France's Nicolas Sarkozy was the latest European politician to receive the boot from voters still feeling the pain of the global economic meltdown a few years ago - and incumbents in Greece didn't fare much better.
While that all put pressure on the recoveries in those respective regions, The Avengers turned into quite the feel-good success story for Disney, as Earth's Mightiest Heroes stormed big screens around the world in record-setting fashion - which gives us a pretty good indication that consumers are still willing to spend on play and leisure time, as long as they believe that the time will be worth it.
On the other side of the coin it looks like the financial headlines are preparing investors for another broad pullback.
Theory has it that May is pullback time anyway, as many of the big boys in the financial world cash out in preparation for summer holidays in Cartagena, Colombia, but a slowing US recovery also adds weight to a market being hit by the European election news and slumping foreign markets.
If Friday's market action in the United States is an indicator for the coming week, then it could be a hairy one for those not hardened to volatility.
As always, however, there will be some stocks and stories to watch.
Here's just a few of them...
Dendreon (DNDN): Dendreon is set to report earnings on Monday. Shares collapsed last summer when the company completely revamped its sales and earnings targets for the prostate cancer immunotherapy treatment Provenge due to pricing and reimbursement concerns, but as sales numbers started to recover and investors regained confidence in the potential of the treatment, DNDN shares spiked to their current levels of over eleven dollars.
Analysts are generally expecting double the Provenge sales of the same quarter for last year, and any surprises could spark a modest rally.
With the earnings news pending, DNDN will be a stock to watch this week. This one is also showing up on numerous radars as a potentialbuyout candidate, especially with mergers and acquisitions picking up steam in the sector of late.
FuelCell Energy (FCEL): Shares of FuelCell Energy were tearing it upearlier this year on news of a significant foreign investment and the unfolding of other key developments, but had since pulled back when the hype ceded and the market as whole started to stutter.
The company announced last week that it had completed the deal with South Korea's POSCO Energy, which brings $30 million to the FCEL cash coffers and adds to growing cash reserves that were also recently strengthened by a stock offering.
The POSCO Energy collaboration is also expected to expand as the year goes on and the cash raised from both of these events fits into CEO Chip Bottone's growth strategy, which includes potential larger deals in the United States.
"The public offering of stock in March combined with this capital raise from our partner, POSCO Energy, are an important part of our growth strategy. Strengthening our balance sheet is meaningful to prospective customers looking to enter into long term relationships with us and the stronger cash position is expected to enable larger projects here in the United States," noted Mr. Bottone in a press release issued last week.
Synergy Pharmaceuticals (SGYP): After flying higher over the past couple of months on the potential of the company's flagship product, Plecanatide for the treatment of chronic idiopathic constipation and constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome, positive reports by numerous analysts, and an FDA setback for a competing company, shares of Synergy Pharmaceuticals came back to earth late last week on the announcement of a stock offering that was priced at $4.50.
While the company took advantage of the recent price run to land a more favorable financing deal, the cash infusion may also strengthen Synergy's position as a potential buyout candidate as big players such as Pfizer (PFE) are flush with cash and possibly looking to make a few moves in order to boost pipelines depleted by popular drugs coming off patent.
Investors may see this pullback as another opportunity to take a chance on Plecanatide, which to this point has demonstrated a superior side effect profile than its potential competition. Additionally, Synergy should now have enough cash to carry through until the results are released from the ongoing Phase II/III trial, expected later this year.
Given the early-year runup and the pullback on the stock offering, Synergy remains a stock to watch.
Implant Sciences (IMSC.PK): Implant Sciences continued an already solid year of demonstrated growth last week with the announcement of the expansion of a large order from the government of India for its explosives detection technology.
As per the amended agreement, the government of India will purchase $6 million worth of QS-H150s over the coming nine months and will be slated for operations within the country's Ministry of Defense.
IMSC has been a stock on the move for the better part of the year already and could garner even more attention if significant headway is made in landing large contracts within the United States.
After seeing shares slip for a week or so, last week's news sparked another move to ninety cents.
Siga Technologies (SIGA): Siga Technologies has a conference call planned for Monday afternoon to discuss first quarter results. Company shares have been highly volatile already this year and a seven percent move on Friday sunk shares to below the three dollar mark again.
Siga was handed a very large government contract to boost the nation's biodefense stockpiles with the antiviral ST-246, but ongoing legal battleswith rival PharmAthene (PIP) have kept the stock from running in relation to the contract award.
During this week's conference call, investors will be most interested with any information passed in relation to the lawsuit.
Also of note...
Immunocellular Therapeutics (IMUC.OB) at near $2.50. With numerous catalysts still pending this year, any pullback could mean a nice buying opportunity, as I discussed last week ... Human Genome Sciences (HGSI) is still sitting right in the middle of the speculative buyout talk after having rejected an initial offer from GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) ... Capstone Turbine (CPST) still sitting at just above the dollar mark after a CNBC interview a couple of weeks ago failed to spark a move in the share price for more than just a day or two ... GelTech Solutions (GLTC.OB) lands solid news regarding purchase agreements with the U.S. Forest Service ... FDA news pending for Talon Therapeutics (TLON.OB) ... Biovest International (BVTI.PK) down 10% on Friday...
By VFC' Stock House
Disclosure: Long SIGA, IMUC, CPST, FCEL, IMSC, SGYP.
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