(MENAFN Press) (EMAILWIRE.COM, October 04, 2012 ) New York, NY --
The volatile trend continues in the markets, but the DOW has done a pretty good job at remaining in the range of 13,500 as the mood was merry at the mid-week point, given the somewhat-encouraging economic indicators and comments from the Fed earlier in the week. Barring any European developments that may influence trading trends beforehand, all eyes will now be on Friday's employment numbers.
As those developments play out and the Presidential debates garner most of the news discussions during the mid-week period, VFC's Stock House, an information and research outlet that brings ideas and opens discussions to a broad spectrum of investors, identifies six stocks making mid-week share price moves that are worth investigating.
Full report available by visiting: http://vfcsstockhouse.com/blog/article/-amarin-s-drop-and-other-mid-week-movers-amrn-nbs-aezs-kerx-ssh-fcel-siri-aapl
Healthcare, Biotech, Pharmaceutical:
Amarin Corporation (AMRN): Amarin shares suffered a near-five percent blow on Wednesday after a Wedbush analyst downgraded AMRN from "outperform" to "neutral" and lowered its price target to 15 from 20. Reasoning behind the downgraded revolved around the lowering of expectations surrounding a potential acquisition of Amarin by a larger big-pharma company looking to boost its pipeline of marketable products. Previous expectations had it that Amarin was high on the list of buyout candidates, but the revelation that the company is in the process of hiring a sales force in preparation for the commercial launch of Vascepa, recently-approved for the treatment of very high triglycerides, are glaring indications that an imminent acquisition may not be in the works. Buyout speculation in the past had run Amarin shares to nearly twenty bucks and many intrigued with the idea again once Vascepa was approved.
Another factor that may be coming into play, however, is the longer-than-expected wait for the FDA to issue a final decision regarding Vascepa's status as a new chemical entity (NCE). Even as Amarin continues to boost its foundation with patent protection, an NCE designation would provide the product more rock-solid protection from generic competition. The fact that the outcome is still undecided may be delaying any buyout or partnership talks that may or may not be in the works, but it also may be what is sparking Amarin to take precautions and hire its own sales force in the event the NCE decision is again delayed or does not work out in favor of the company.
See full report for more.
Neostem, Inc. (NBS): Neostem was noted last week as one of five share price dips that were worth watching for their potential to turn into a quick rebound story. On Wednesday of this week Neostem shares demonstrated their potential for quick rebounds by closing the day nearly six percent higher after an announcement earlier in the week that the company would be presenting at some high-profile conferences during the coming weeks that could significantly boost its exposure and technology to potential investors. Shares may also have received a boost by a Seeking Alpha author's coverage of the subject in a Wednesday article.
See full report for more.
AEterna Zentaris (AEZS): AEterna shares were on the move this week, too, although to the downside on Wednesday as the company announced plans to implement a reverse share split. Such events are generally unkind to company share prices in the days immediately before or after implementation, but in order for AEterna to regain compliance with the NASDAQ's minimum price listing, the reverse split needed to take place. The RS is expected to take effect on 5 October and will be implemented on a six-for-one basis. As mentioned above, it's routine to see a share price drop immediately following the implementation of an RS - and/or just before - as evidenced this week by AEZS, but it's a company's pipeline and potential that will still ultimately dictate overall success. In the case of AEterna, nothing changes with regards to potential based on the undertaking of an RS.
The company's fairly deep pipeline consists of Perifisone in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), AEZS-130 as a diagnostic test for Adult Growth Hormone Deficiency (AGHD) (already proven successful in Phase III trials) and AEZS-108, another anti-cancer agent that has already proven successful in multiple Phase II trials. The company plans to file an NDA with the FDA early next year for AEZS-130 while AEZS-108 is being prepared for a near-term launch of a Phase III trial for endometrial cancer with other earlier-stage trials still planned. There may be some hesitation by investors to jump into any Perifisone enthusiasm based on a failed clinical trial earlier this year for metastatic colorectal cancer when the product was partnered with Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (KERX), but the MM condition could offer the product new life.
See full report for more.
Sunshine Heart (SSH): Sunshine Heart was another company whose shares we listed last week as one of five share price dips to watch for the potential of a quick rebound, and it didn't take long for a rebound to take effect as news of a conditional FDA approval on Monday sent shares pushing the ten dollar mark once again. The FDA granted the company's C-Pulse Heart Assist system an Investigational Device Exemption (IDE), which paves the way for the initiation of a pivotal US trial during the current quarter. Already this year the company has received an approval in Europe for the device and noted positive results from a North American feasibility study. C-Pulse is a medical device that has thus far in development proven to halt - and possibly reverse - the effects and progression of heart failure in patients with Class III and ambulatory Class IV heart failure and targets a multi-billion dollar market.
See full report for more.
Industry, Clean Energy, Green Technology:
FuelCell Energy (FCEL): Shares of FuelCell had dropped recently as declining sales and revenue from the most-recently completed quarter played on the minds of investors who are closely following the company's trek towards profitability. Encouraging signs were prevalent earlier in the year, however, when news of a large cash infusion from a South Korean partner hit the wires and fueled a run towards the two dollar mark, while positive coverage from both Forbes and Bloomberg also offered an encouraging glimpse into the future. The announcement of a stock offering, however, stalled any momentum and sent shares south.
Shares were on the move again during the mid-week, though, with a five percent spike coming on the heels of a report that the company had received a 6.0 million "cost share award from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to continue existing research and development under phase III of the Solid State Energy Conversion Alliance (SECA) coal-based systems program."
See full report for more.
Technology, Products, Services:
Sirius XM Radio Inc. (SIRI): Shares of SiriusXM have been thrust upwards since the mid-summer months and are on the move again this week, closing over four percent higher on Wednesday on high volume. The specific Wednesday boost can be partly attributed to comments by the Bank of America (BAC), who - as discussed by another popular stock and investment website - rates SIRI shares significantly higher than where they stand today. Investors are also enthusiastic about the seemingly-inevitable takeover by Liberty media since the FCC has announced that comments are now welcome from those who oppose any such deal. Liberty has methodically been increasing its stake in SIRI since bailing the company out from the brinks of destruction a few years back when SIRI shares traded for a mere nickel.
See full report for more.
Happy Trading!!!
Disclosure: Long AMRN, FCEL.
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