Situation: The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is generally thought to be the most stable reflection of the stock market. As it should be. Those 30 companies are picked by the Managing Editor of the Wall Street Journal to do exactly that. Here at ITR, we have our own, less subjective, measure of stability: companies that pay a good and growing dividend. In other words, companies with a dividend yield and dividend growth rate that are as good (or better than) the DJIA’s ~2% yield and ~8% growth rate. We propose that you pick such stocks out of the DJIA, thinking you’ll just have to do better than you would have done by investing in the Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) for the DJIA (DIA), which is called “Diamonds” for good reason.
Mission: Run our Standard Spreadsheet for the 8 companies in the DJIA that are members of “The 2 and 8 Club” (see Week 360).
Execution: see Table.
Administration: We have made two changes to “The 2 and 8 Club”: 1) Companies with a BBB+ S&P rating for their bonds are no longer accepted (see Column T in the Table); 2) all companies in the Russell 1000 Index that meet requirements (see Week 327) are included in “The 2 and 8 Club”(see Week 366). So, that phrase no longer refers specifically to companies in the S&P 100 Index.
Bottom Line: These 8 stocks have performed remarkably well vs. DIA. Total Returns over the past 11 years (see Column C) were 26% greater, Finance Values (see Column E) were 25% better, dividend yields were almost 30% better (see Column G), dividend growth was almost 80 faster (see Column H), and the rate of price appreciation over the past 16 years was more than 70% faster (see Column K). So far so good, but the devil is in the details. We also measure risk. The story there is a bit shocking, even though these very stable companies were able to shake off challenges posed by the recent crash in commodity markets (see Column D).
Five year price volatility was almost 25% greater (see Column I), P/E was twice as great (see Column J), and quantitative analysis of stock prices over the past 16 years predicts that losses will be almost 40% greater in the next Bear Market (see Column M). In other words, the risk-adjusted returns for these 8 companies are not significantly different than those for the DJIA. This conclusion is consistent with what we were taught in Business School, i.e., there are only two ways for a stock picker to “beat the market.” 1) use insider information (illegal), 2) take on more risk. Your best chance to beat the market without incurring more risk is to invest in the highest quality utilities, beverages, and pharmaceuticals (see Week 367).
Risk Rating: 6 (where US Treasury Notes = 1, S&P 500 Index = 5, gold bullion = 10).
Full Disclosure: I dollar-average into MSFT, JPM, CAT and IBM, and also own shares of TRV, MMM and CSCO.
"The 2 and 8 Club" (CR) 2017 Invest Tune Retire.com All rights reserved.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
Showing posts with label pharmacy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pharmacy. Show all posts
Sunday, August 19
Sunday, June 17
Week 363 - Big Pharma
Situation: There are 11 pharmaceutical companies in the S&P 100 Index, with an average market capitalization of ~$130 Billion. Stocks issued by healthcare companies (including hospital chains, pharmacy benefit managers, medical insurance vendors, and drugstores) are thought to be defensive “risk-off” bets, like stocks issued by utility, communication services, or consumer staples companies. But they’re not. Healthcare consumes almost 20% of GDP but it is a highly fragmented industry, rife with government interference seeking full control. Medical innovation for the entire planet has to take place in the United States because the healthcare industry is socialized elsewhere and large amounts of private capital are needed to conduct clinical trials. That innovation makes US healthcare into an ongoing research enterprise. For biotechnology companies, there is an ever-present risk of being eclipsed by another company’s research team. Stockpickers who have some appreciation for biochemistry can perhaps identify biotechnology groups that are onto a good thing. But Big Pharma companies survive by looking to buy those same startups. Can you really scope-out a “good thing” better than their scientists?
Mission: Run our Standard Spreadsheet for the 11 pharmaceutical companies in the S&P 100 Index.
Execution: see Table.
Bottom Line: This is not a game for the retail investor. All she can do is buy stock in one or two of the 11 “Big Pharma” companies, and hope that its CEO can find small biotechnology groups conducting breakthrough science, then buy at least one a year to throw money at. That’s an iffy business. Why? Because large-scale clinical studies (costing hundreds of million dollars) have to be conducted before the bet pays off. Usually it doesn’t. If you’re a stock-picker new to this industry, start by researching the old standbys that reliably pay good dividends: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Merck (MRK), Pfizer (PFE) and Eli Lilly (LLY).
Risk Rating: 7 (where US Treasury Notes = 1, S&P 500 Index = 5, gold bullion = 10)
Full Disclosure: I dollar-average into JNJ and also own shares of ABT.
"The 2 and 8 Club" (CR) 2018 Invest Tune Retire.com All rights reserved.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
Mission: Run our Standard Spreadsheet for the 11 pharmaceutical companies in the S&P 100 Index.
Execution: see Table.
Bottom Line: This is not a game for the retail investor. All she can do is buy stock in one or two of the 11 “Big Pharma” companies, and hope that its CEO can find small biotechnology groups conducting breakthrough science, then buy at least one a year to throw money at. That’s an iffy business. Why? Because large-scale clinical studies (costing hundreds of million dollars) have to be conducted before the bet pays off. Usually it doesn’t. If you’re a stock-picker new to this industry, start by researching the old standbys that reliably pay good dividends: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Merck (MRK), Pfizer (PFE) and Eli Lilly (LLY).
Risk Rating: 7 (where US Treasury Notes = 1, S&P 500 Index = 5, gold bullion = 10)
Full Disclosure: I dollar-average into JNJ and also own shares of ABT.
"The 2 and 8 Club" (CR) 2018 Invest Tune Retire.com All rights reserved.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
Sunday, December 31
Week 339 - HealthCare Companies in the Vanguard High Dividend Yield Index
Situation: American culture has increasingly disparate trends, but almost every adult is interested in occasionally partaking of a mood-altering substance. The cultural shift toward “Better Living Through Chemistry” now extends well beyond recreational drug use. Drugs are successfully being marketed for “wellness” without evidence-based research attesting to their efficacy. (These are medications that the FDA has approved for use in other conditions or diseases than those being touted in marketing materials.) As an example, WebMD has a list of 46 drugs and vitamins that are used to help prevent or treat Alzheimer’s Disease while noting that none have proof of efficacy.
Mission: Use our Standard Spreadsheet to list established HealthCare companies that pay a good and growing dividend.
Execution: see Table.
Administration: Eight of the 400 US companies in the FTSE Global High Dividend Yield Index are 1) in the S&P HealthCare Industry, 2) have trading records that extend for at least the 16 year period needed for statistical analysis by the BMW Method, and 3) are in the 2017 Barron’s 500 Index that ranks companies by using cash-flow based metrics.
Bottom Line: The main thing to remember about HealthCare companies is that their revenues will grow approximately three times faster than GDP, and (here’s the good part) growth is likely to continue during a recession when GDP is falling. In other words, some pharmaceuticals like anti-platelet drugs enjoy steady (inelastic) demand regardless of price. Investors also need to remember that prescription drugs have only 20 years of patent protection, and that clock starts ticking when clinical trials begin. Drug development is an expensive multi-year process which fails more often than it succeeds. Risk-adjusted returns on investment for these companies are no better than those for the aggregate of companies in the S&P 500 Index.
Risk Rating: 7 (where 10-Yr US Treasury Notes = 1, S&P 500 Index = 5, and gold bullion = 10)
Full Disclosure: I dollar-cost average into JNJ, and also own shares of ABT, PFE and AMGN.
Mission: Use our Standard Spreadsheet to list established HealthCare companies that pay a good and growing dividend.
Execution: see Table.
Administration: Eight of the 400 US companies in the FTSE Global High Dividend Yield Index are 1) in the S&P HealthCare Industry, 2) have trading records that extend for at least the 16 year period needed for statistical analysis by the BMW Method, and 3) are in the 2017 Barron’s 500 Index that ranks companies by using cash-flow based metrics.
Bottom Line: The main thing to remember about HealthCare companies is that their revenues will grow approximately three times faster than GDP, and (here’s the good part) growth is likely to continue during a recession when GDP is falling. In other words, some pharmaceuticals like anti-platelet drugs enjoy steady (inelastic) demand regardless of price. Investors also need to remember that prescription drugs have only 20 years of patent protection, and that clock starts ticking when clinical trials begin. Drug development is an expensive multi-year process which fails more often than it succeeds. Risk-adjusted returns on investment for these companies are no better than those for the aggregate of companies in the S&P 500 Index.
Risk Rating: 7 (where 10-Yr US Treasury Notes = 1, S&P 500 Index = 5, and gold bullion = 10)
Full Disclosure: I dollar-cost average into JNJ, and also own shares of ABT, PFE and AMGN.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
Sunday, August 16
Week 215 - “Buy-and-hold” Barron’s 500 Biotechnology Stocks
Situation: All asset classes are currently high-priced, and biotechnology stocks are the highest priced. If earnings reports don’t surprise on the upside, they’re over-priced and a bubble may be forming. Most companies use borrowed money for approximately half their capital needs, which means they have little in the way of tangible book value. Remember: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. To “make serious money,” you’ll need to focus on asset classes that have strong growth prospects and modest indebtedness. That means technology stocks should be ~10% of your retirement savings. Currently, biotechnology stocks have the best growth prospects, and it is in your best interest to have stock in one or two of those companies. Given that retirement savings should be composed of “buy-and-hold” stocks and bonds, you’ll want a list of candidate biotechnology stocks to choose from. Is there any such thing as a buy-and-hold biotechnology stock?
Mission: Create a spreadsheet of candidate “buy-and-hold” biotechnology stocks from the recently published 2015 Barron’s 500 List.
Execution: This hasn’t been easy but we’ve managed to come up with the names of 7 candidate companies (see Table). Two are “plain vanilla” biotechnology companies: Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Amgen (AMGN). Two are agriculture companies that produce genetically-modified seeds: Monsanto (MON) and duPont (DD). Three are traditional pharmaceutical companies that have sizeable biotechnology divisions: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Eli Lilly (LLY), and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY). Columns W-Y of the Table contain long-term statistical data available at the BMW Method website (see Week 193). That website lists AMGN and LLY as being “potentially overpriced”, along with the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index.
Bottom Line: The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index at Line 14 in the Table has the big picture. Returns for these stocks are 3 times higher than for the S&P 500 Index over the past 16 yrs (see Column W) but our enthusiasm is dampened by the BMW Method projection of a 53% loss in a future Bear Market vs. a 32% loss for the S&P 500 index. Six of our 7 “buy-and-hold” candidates are speculative by most measures (see Table); only Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) appears to be a better bet than simply putting your money to work in a bond-hedged S&P 500 Index fund (VBINX).
Risk Rating: 7
Full Disclosure: I dollar-average into JNJ, and also own stock in MON and DD.
Note: Metrics in the Table that are highlighted in red denote underperformance vs. our key benchmark (VBINX); metrics are brought current for the Sunday of publication.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
Mission: Create a spreadsheet of candidate “buy-and-hold” biotechnology stocks from the recently published 2015 Barron’s 500 List.
Execution: This hasn’t been easy but we’ve managed to come up with the names of 7 candidate companies (see Table). Two are “plain vanilla” biotechnology companies: Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Amgen (AMGN). Two are agriculture companies that produce genetically-modified seeds: Monsanto (MON) and duPont (DD). Three are traditional pharmaceutical companies that have sizeable biotechnology divisions: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), Eli Lilly (LLY), and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY). Columns W-Y of the Table contain long-term statistical data available at the BMW Method website (see Week 193). That website lists AMGN and LLY as being “potentially overpriced”, along with the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index.
Bottom Line: The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index at Line 14 in the Table has the big picture. Returns for these stocks are 3 times higher than for the S&P 500 Index over the past 16 yrs (see Column W) but our enthusiasm is dampened by the BMW Method projection of a 53% loss in a future Bear Market vs. a 32% loss for the S&P 500 index. Six of our 7 “buy-and-hold” candidates are speculative by most measures (see Table); only Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) appears to be a better bet than simply putting your money to work in a bond-hedged S&P 500 Index fund (VBINX).
Risk Rating: 7
Full Disclosure: I dollar-average into JNJ, and also own stock in MON and DD.
Note: Metrics in the Table that are highlighted in red denote underperformance vs. our key benchmark (VBINX); metrics are brought current for the Sunday of publication.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
Sunday, March 22
Week 194 - Biotechnology Companies in the Barron’s 500 List
Situation: Biotechnology companies are the high-risk sector of the US stock market. We have not previously discussed companies in this sector, aside from pointing out that Amgen (AMGN) and Biogen Idec (BIIB) had a Durable Competitive Advantage in 2012 (see Week 59). Why? Because our blog is about buy-and-hold stocks that can be expected to pay growing dividends in retirement, which is so attractive to those living on a fixed income. Biotechnology companies, on the other hand, rarely pay dividends because they make products that come off patent ~17 years after FDA approval. That means research and development of the next winning product will consume most of their profits. We’re talking about a growth industry where new technologies rapidly eclipse old technologies, and stability is a mirage.
For investors who like to gamble in the stock market, the biotech sector provides the stocks they’re likely to pick. And they’ll have many to choose from. For instance, the main exchange-traded fund (ETF) for biotech stocks is the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI at Line 11 in the Table). It tracks the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index, which includes 87 companies. The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI at Line 14 in the Table) has 151 companies. The Barron’s 500 List of the largest companies by revenue on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges only has the 4 biggest names, plus AbbVie (ABBV) at Line 10 which is a recent spin-off from Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at Line 9. We’ve included ABT as a “big pharma” reference point.
Close examination of the Table, shows that Gilead Sciences (GILD) is the only one of the 4 long-established biotech stocks that is not overpriced by our main criterion, i.e., it has an EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value divided by Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization) less than 14. On the negative side, GILD has a 5-yr Beta of 1.11 and an S&P stock rating of B/M, both of which signify earnings uncertainty. Only Amgen (AMGN) pays a dividend, has a low 5-yr Beta, and carries the minimum S&P stock rating (B+/M) suitable for buy-and-hold investors. You can take a look at the drugs currently being marketed by these 5 companies by consulting the APPENDIX at the end of this blog.
There is an issue with overpricing in the biotechnology industry, with respect to both product and stock prices. Some pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), e.g. Express Scripts Holding Company (ESRX), will not sell the high-priced GILD drugs for treating Hepatitis C Virus (genotype 1). Instead, ESRX has entered an agreement with ABBV to sell its lower-priced Viekera Pak.
Stock prices for the industry also appear high. Amgen (AMGN) and the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI) are more than two Standard Deviations above their 16-yr log-linear trendlines, and have been labeled “potentially overpriced” at the BMW Method website. Experienced investors will look at price/sales (P/S) when such concerns arise. P/S is ~1.8 for the S&P 500 Index. However, the healthcare industry is the most “overbought” of the 10 S&P industries. So, P/S for a typical "big pharma" company like ABT is 3.4, and the 4 biotech firms at the top of our Table have an average P/S of 8.8. It looks like biotech stocks are in a “bubble.”
Bottom Line: If you’re over 50, it is time to focus on retirement savings. You should have at least 4 times your gross annual income in that account by now. None of the 4 biotechnology stocks in our Table with 20 yrs of price data fit the requirements for inclusion in a retirement portfolio. These are high-risk, high-reward stocks. That said, they represent a more prudent bet than competing high-risk assets like gold, international stocks, and high-yield bonds. Those don’t carry anything like the reward potential of biotechnology stocks, given the tens of millions of people per year who move up from poverty to enter the “middle class” in emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa.
Risk Rating: 8
Full Disclosure: I own shares of ABBV.
NOTE: metrics that underperform VBINX have red highlights in the Table; metrics are current as of the Sunday of publication.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
APPENDIX for Week 194
Gilead Sciences (GILD) has $7.7B in cash holdings for future acquisitions, and specializes in anti-viral drugs. Its current products include 1) Truvada is a combination of two other of the company’s drugs, Viread and Emtriva. 2) Complera is a combination of Truvada and Tibotec’s Edurant. 3) Atripla is a combination of Truvada and Bristol-Myers-Squibb’s Sustiva. 4) Stribild is so far approved for use only in the European Union (EU) and is a combination of Viread, Emtriva, elvitegravir, and cobicisat). 5) Ambisome B is marketed for life-threatening fungal infections that often complicate the treatment of AIDS. 6) Viread and 7) Hepsera are used to treat chronic hepatitis B. 8) Tamiflu is used to treat influenza A and B but is marketed by Roche (which pays royalties to Gilead Sciences until the drug comes off patent in 2016). 9) Letairis is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension; Gilead Sciences had to acquire Myogen to obtain its patent for Letairis. 10) Ranexa is used to treat chronic angina pectoris; Gilead Sciences acquired CV Therapeutics to obtain its patent for Ranexa. 11) Cayston is used to treat cystic fibrosis that has become complicated by infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 12) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) is used to treat Hepatitis C; Gilead Sciences acquired Pharmasett for its patent to use Sovaldi against certain genotypes of Hepatitis C in combination with the established drug treatments (interferon and ribavirin), or with ribavirin alone when patients cannot tolerate interferon. 13) Harvoni, a tablet that is taken once a day for treatment of Hepatitis C genotype 1 and is used without interferon or ribavirin. This breakthrough drug has achieved ~95% cure rates in Phase III studies. Biogen Idec (BIIB) has $3.2B in cash equivalents for future acquisitions and is focused on producing drugs and monoclonal antibodies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Current products include 1) Avonex (beta interferon) is the company’s core franchise, used to treat relapsing multiple sclerosis since FDA approval in 1996. The current version comes off patent in 2026. 2) Rituxan, a monoclonal antibody against CD-20 protein positive B-cells, is an FDA-approved treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphomas and rheumatoid arthritis. It is marketed by Roche via Genentech (Biogen Idec receives royalties). 3) Tysabri (developed with Elan) is FDA-approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis. It is under limited distribution because of producing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients carrying antibodies to the Jakob-Creutzfeld virus and/or those receiving treatment for more than two years. An assay is now available to detect the JC virus before starting Tysabri. 4) Tecfidera, an orally-dosed drug used to reduce relapses of multiple sclerosis, received FDA approval two years ago. 5) Plegridy, a long-acting version of Avonex, emerged from Phase III studies over two years ago and received FDA approval in August of 2014. 6) Ampyra, a drug produced by Acorda Therapeutics, is used to improve walking in multiple sclerosis patients. Biogen Idec obtained the license to sell the drug outside the U.S. in 2009; conditional EU approval was granted in 2011. Amgen (AMGN) has built up $28B in cash holdings. Current products include 1) Epogen is a genetically-engineered human erythropoietin used to stimulate red blood cell production in anemia caused by chronic renal failure. 2) Aranesp is a recombinant protein that stimulates red blood cell production, and is approved for use in treating chemotherapy-induced anemia as well as chronic renal failure. 3) Neupogen stimulates neutrophil (white blood cell) production in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. 4) Neulesta, another stimulant for neutrophil production. 5) Enbrel is a drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and chronic plaque psoriasis that Amgen obtained when it acquired Immunex in 2002. Enbrel has been issued a new patent that extends to 2028. 6) Sensipar, sold on license from NPS Pharmaceuticals, is used to treat hyperparathyroidism secondary to end-stage kidney disease. 7) Vectibix is used to treat advanced colorectal cancer. 8) Nplate is used to treat ITP (immune thrombocytopenic purpura). 9) Prolia (denosumab) is used to treat bone loss due to hormone ablation, postmenopausal osteoporosis, or metastatic prostate cancer. Celgene (CELG) has $6.9B in cash holdings and specializes in using its proprietary small molecule technology to develop drugs that modulate the immune response or inhibit cytokine production--mainly to treat multiple myeloma. Current products include 1) Thalomid (thalidomide) inhibits blood vessel growth and is used to treat leprosy-related illnesses and multiple myeloma. 2) Revlimib, the successor to Thalomid, is used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome and relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. 3) Pomalyst was approved for use in refractory multiple myeloma in 2013, and is in Phase III studies for potential use in myelofibrosis. 4) Otezla was approved for treatment of psoriatic arthritis in 2014, and is in Phase III studies for potential use in ankylosing spondylitis as well as being up for FDA approval to treat psoriasis. 5) Abraxane (via acquisition of Abraxis BioScience in 2010) is approved for use in metastatic breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. 6) Istodax (via acquisition of Gloucester Pharmaceuticals in 2010) is used to treat T-cell lymphoma. 7) Otezla (apremilast) is used for treatment of psoriatic arthritis. AbbVie (ABBV) has $10B in cash and investments but also carries long-term debt of $14B. Current products include 1) Humira, the injectable tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker that is the leading treatment for rheumatoid arthritis worldwide. It is also approved for use in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and spondyloarthritis. Its US patent expires in less than two years; competing drugs include Remicade and Simponi (both marketed by Johnson & Johnson) as well as Enbrel (marketed by Pfizer). 2) Tricor and Trilipix, for use in treating high cholesterol or high triglycerides, went off patent in 2012. 3) Niaspan, an extended-release niacin supplement. 4) Synthroid, a long-standing staple for treating hypothyroidism. 5) AndroGel (testosterone replacement therapy). 6) Lupron, for prostate cancer. 7) Synagis, for treating respiratory syncytial syndrome, is only marketed outside the US. 8) Kaletra and Norvir, for treating HIV.
For investors who like to gamble in the stock market, the biotech sector provides the stocks they’re likely to pick. And they’ll have many to choose from. For instance, the main exchange-traded fund (ETF) for biotech stocks is the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI at Line 11 in the Table). It tracks the S&P Biotechnology Select Industry Index, which includes 87 companies. The NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI at Line 14 in the Table) has 151 companies. The Barron’s 500 List of the largest companies by revenue on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges only has the 4 biggest names, plus AbbVie (ABBV) at Line 10 which is a recent spin-off from Abbott Laboratories (ABT) at Line 9. We’ve included ABT as a “big pharma” reference point.
Close examination of the Table, shows that Gilead Sciences (GILD) is the only one of the 4 long-established biotech stocks that is not overpriced by our main criterion, i.e., it has an EV/EBITDA (Enterprise Value divided by Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation and Amortization) less than 14. On the negative side, GILD has a 5-yr Beta of 1.11 and an S&P stock rating of B/M, both of which signify earnings uncertainty. Only Amgen (AMGN) pays a dividend, has a low 5-yr Beta, and carries the minimum S&P stock rating (B+/M) suitable for buy-and-hold investors. You can take a look at the drugs currently being marketed by these 5 companies by consulting the APPENDIX at the end of this blog.
There is an issue with overpricing in the biotechnology industry, with respect to both product and stock prices. Some pharmacy benefits managers (PBMs), e.g. Express Scripts Holding Company (ESRX), will not sell the high-priced GILD drugs for treating Hepatitis C Virus (genotype 1). Instead, ESRX has entered an agreement with ABBV to sell its lower-priced Viekera Pak.
Stock prices for the industry also appear high. Amgen (AMGN) and the NASDAQ Biotechnology Index (^NBI) are more than two Standard Deviations above their 16-yr log-linear trendlines, and have been labeled “potentially overpriced” at the BMW Method website. Experienced investors will look at price/sales (P/S) when such concerns arise. P/S is ~1.8 for the S&P 500 Index. However, the healthcare industry is the most “overbought” of the 10 S&P industries. So, P/S for a typical "big pharma" company like ABT is 3.4, and the 4 biotech firms at the top of our Table have an average P/S of 8.8. It looks like biotech stocks are in a “bubble.”
Bottom Line: If you’re over 50, it is time to focus on retirement savings. You should have at least 4 times your gross annual income in that account by now. None of the 4 biotechnology stocks in our Table with 20 yrs of price data fit the requirements for inclusion in a retirement portfolio. These are high-risk, high-reward stocks. That said, they represent a more prudent bet than competing high-risk assets like gold, international stocks, and high-yield bonds. Those don’t carry anything like the reward potential of biotechnology stocks, given the tens of millions of people per year who move up from poverty to enter the “middle class” in emerging economies like China, India, Brazil, Turkey and South Africa.
Risk Rating: 8
Full Disclosure: I own shares of ABBV.
NOTE: metrics that underperform VBINX have red highlights in the Table; metrics are current as of the Sunday of publication.
Post questions and comments in the box below or send email to: irv.mcquarrie@InvestTuneRetire.com
APPENDIX for Week 194
Gilead Sciences (GILD) has $7.7B in cash holdings for future acquisitions, and specializes in anti-viral drugs. Its current products include 1) Truvada is a combination of two other of the company’s drugs, Viread and Emtriva. 2) Complera is a combination of Truvada and Tibotec’s Edurant. 3) Atripla is a combination of Truvada and Bristol-Myers-Squibb’s Sustiva. 4) Stribild is so far approved for use only in the European Union (EU) and is a combination of Viread, Emtriva, elvitegravir, and cobicisat). 5) Ambisome B is marketed for life-threatening fungal infections that often complicate the treatment of AIDS. 6) Viread and 7) Hepsera are used to treat chronic hepatitis B. 8) Tamiflu is used to treat influenza A and B but is marketed by Roche (which pays royalties to Gilead Sciences until the drug comes off patent in 2016). 9) Letairis is used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension; Gilead Sciences had to acquire Myogen to obtain its patent for Letairis. 10) Ranexa is used to treat chronic angina pectoris; Gilead Sciences acquired CV Therapeutics to obtain its patent for Ranexa. 11) Cayston is used to treat cystic fibrosis that has become complicated by infection with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 12) Sovaldi (sofosbuvir) is used to treat Hepatitis C; Gilead Sciences acquired Pharmasett for its patent to use Sovaldi against certain genotypes of Hepatitis C in combination with the established drug treatments (interferon and ribavirin), or with ribavirin alone when patients cannot tolerate interferon. 13) Harvoni, a tablet that is taken once a day for treatment of Hepatitis C genotype 1 and is used without interferon or ribavirin. This breakthrough drug has achieved ~95% cure rates in Phase III studies. Biogen Idec (BIIB) has $3.2B in cash equivalents for future acquisitions and is focused on producing drugs and monoclonal antibodies for cancer and autoimmune diseases. Current products include 1) Avonex (beta interferon) is the company’s core franchise, used to treat relapsing multiple sclerosis since FDA approval in 1996. The current version comes off patent in 2026. 2) Rituxan, a monoclonal antibody against CD-20 protein positive B-cells, is an FDA-approved treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphomas and rheumatoid arthritis. It is marketed by Roche via Genentech (Biogen Idec receives royalties). 3) Tysabri (developed with Elan) is FDA-approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis. It is under limited distribution because of producing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients carrying antibodies to the Jakob-Creutzfeld virus and/or those receiving treatment for more than two years. An assay is now available to detect the JC virus before starting Tysabri. 4) Tecfidera, an orally-dosed drug used to reduce relapses of multiple sclerosis, received FDA approval two years ago. 5) Plegridy, a long-acting version of Avonex, emerged from Phase III studies over two years ago and received FDA approval in August of 2014. 6) Ampyra, a drug produced by Acorda Therapeutics, is used to improve walking in multiple sclerosis patients. Biogen Idec obtained the license to sell the drug outside the U.S. in 2009; conditional EU approval was granted in 2011. Amgen (AMGN) has built up $28B in cash holdings. Current products include 1) Epogen is a genetically-engineered human erythropoietin used to stimulate red blood cell production in anemia caused by chronic renal failure. 2) Aranesp is a recombinant protein that stimulates red blood cell production, and is approved for use in treating chemotherapy-induced anemia as well as chronic renal failure. 3) Neupogen stimulates neutrophil (white blood cell) production in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. 4) Neulesta, another stimulant for neutrophil production. 5) Enbrel is a drug for treating rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and chronic plaque psoriasis that Amgen obtained when it acquired Immunex in 2002. Enbrel has been issued a new patent that extends to 2028. 6) Sensipar, sold on license from NPS Pharmaceuticals, is used to treat hyperparathyroidism secondary to end-stage kidney disease. 7) Vectibix is used to treat advanced colorectal cancer. 8) Nplate is used to treat ITP (immune thrombocytopenic purpura). 9) Prolia (denosumab) is used to treat bone loss due to hormone ablation, postmenopausal osteoporosis, or metastatic prostate cancer. Celgene (CELG) has $6.9B in cash holdings and specializes in using its proprietary small molecule technology to develop drugs that modulate the immune response or inhibit cytokine production--mainly to treat multiple myeloma. Current products include 1) Thalomid (thalidomide) inhibits blood vessel growth and is used to treat leprosy-related illnesses and multiple myeloma. 2) Revlimib, the successor to Thalomid, is used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome and relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma. 3) Pomalyst was approved for use in refractory multiple myeloma in 2013, and is in Phase III studies for potential use in myelofibrosis. 4) Otezla was approved for treatment of psoriatic arthritis in 2014, and is in Phase III studies for potential use in ankylosing spondylitis as well as being up for FDA approval to treat psoriasis. 5) Abraxane (via acquisition of Abraxis BioScience in 2010) is approved for use in metastatic breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and pancreatic cancer. 6) Istodax (via acquisition of Gloucester Pharmaceuticals in 2010) is used to treat T-cell lymphoma. 7) Otezla (apremilast) is used for treatment of psoriatic arthritis. AbbVie (ABBV) has $10B in cash and investments but also carries long-term debt of $14B. Current products include 1) Humira, the injectable tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blocker that is the leading treatment for rheumatoid arthritis worldwide. It is also approved for use in juvenile idiopathic arthritis, psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and spondyloarthritis. Its US patent expires in less than two years; competing drugs include Remicade and Simponi (both marketed by Johnson & Johnson) as well as Enbrel (marketed by Pfizer). 2) Tricor and Trilipix, for use in treating high cholesterol or high triglycerides, went off patent in 2012. 3) Niaspan, an extended-release niacin supplement. 4) Synthroid, a long-standing staple for treating hypothyroidism. 5) AndroGel (testosterone replacement therapy). 6) Lupron, for prostate cancer. 7) Synagis, for treating respiratory syncytial syndrome, is only marketed outside the US. 8) Kaletra and Norvir, for treating HIV.
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