We recently compiled a list of the 10 Worst ADR Stocks To Buy According to Short Sellers. In this article, we are going to take a look at where MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MLTX) stands against the other ADR stocks.
An American Depositary Receipt (ADR) is a certificate issued by a U.S. bank that represents shares of a foreign company. These certificates allow U.S. investors to buy shares in foreign companies as if they were regular U.S. stocks. ADRs make it easier for American investors to invest in foreign companies and help foreign companies attract investment from the U.S. without needing to go through the complicated process of listing directly on U.S. stock exchanges.
Despite benefits, less than 10% of large foreign companies list their shares in the U.S. First, some companies that don’t list in the U.S. may already be valued at a high level, so they don’t see much-added benefit. Secondly, the owners and managers of these foreign companies (often families) might not want a U.S. listing because it could limit their control and ability to benefit personally from the company.
Shifting Tides & Global Opportunities
Alibaba’s initial public offering (IPO) in 2014 was a landmark event, raising $25 billion in what was then the largest IPO in history. This success was part of a broader trend where numerous Chinese firms sought to list in the U.S., attracted by the potential for high valuations and access to global capital. Fast forward to recent years, and the picture has changed markedly. The once-vibrant market for Chinese IPOs on Wall Street has withered. In 2023, Chinese companies raised only about $580 million through U.S. listings, a dramatic drop compared to the previous years. This decline is exacerbated by geopolitical tensions between China and the U.S., which have created a challenging environment for Chinese firms seeking to go public abroad.
According to a report by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, there are approximately 256 Chinese firms on the New York Stock Exchange, NASDAQ, and NYSE American. However, the political and economic shift has impacted investor confidence and market performance. Notably, 11 Chinese firms, including prominent state-owned entities such as China Eastern Airlines and China Southern Airlines, have delisted from U.S. exchanges over the past year.
In the UK major companies such as Shell, are moving their listings to the U.S. markets as they tend to be valued higher in the U.S. than in the UK, which helps them raise more money and get better growth opportunities. Several factors such as Brexit, high interest rates, fewer tech companies, and a lack of domestic investors have contributed to this migration. More than 30 companies with a market capitalization of over $125 million are exiting the UK’s public equity markets. Thirteen companies have completed takeover bids, while 17 companies have delisted.
Given the weakness in the U.S. market, analysts forecast that now is a good time to invest in foreign stocks. Over the past 12 years, U.S. stocks have outperformed international stocks in 10 of those years, driven by a strong bull market. However, historically, international stocks have often outperformed, especially when the U.S. market isn’t as robust as it has been over the last decade. Morningstar data shows that international stocks outperformed in 60 of the 64 years when U.S. market returns were below 6%, and in all 45 years when returns were below 4%. During periods of U.S. market weakness, investors often seek growth opportunities abroad, which could position ADRs to outperform American stocks during the current bear market.
While the U.S. market has enjoyed a prolonged period of dominance, the shifting global landscape presents a compelling case for diversifying into international stocks. With geopolitical dynamics, economic uncertainty, and the potential for weaker U.S. market returns in the coming years, foreign companies offer growth opportunities that American stocks may struggle to match. With that in context let’s take a look at the 10 worst ADR stocks to buy according to short sellers.
Our Methodology
For this article, we used the Finviz stock screener to find the foreign companies listed in the US. From that list, we shortlisted companies that have the highest percentage of shares outstanding that were sold short as of September 18. The list is sorted in ascending order of their short float as of September 18.
Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A close-up of a biopharmaceutical research laboratory, with a microscope in the foreground.
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MLTX)
Short Interest as % of Shares Outstanding: 15.13%
Number of Hedge Fund Investors in Q2 2024: 32
MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MLTX), headquartered in Switzerland, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on advanced therapies for inflammatory diseases. The company’s leading product, Sonelokimab is currently under approval and is a Nanobody designed to target hard-to-treat inflammation, particularly in severe skin conditions such as hidradenitis suppurative (HS).
HS affects millions worldwide, however, current treatment remains limited, MoonLake Immunotherapeutics’s (NASDAQ:MLTX) Sonelokimab medication is at the forefront of biotechnological solutions to create transformative treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases. The medication is going through a Phase 3 trial program which is enrolling 800 patients and initial data is anticipated to arrive in mid-2025.
On June 10, MoonLake Immunotherapeutics (NASDAQ:MLTX) received positive regulatory feedback from both the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) and the EMA (European Medicines Agency) for Sonelokimab to treat psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Based on previous feedback from the Phase 3 program, the company is starting its IZAR program which consists of two global trials namely IZAR-1 and IZAR-2. Both trials will test 60mg and 120mg doses of Sonelokimab and will enroll approximately 1,500 patients and use data from the earlier trials to support regulatory approval. The primary endpoint readout is expected by the end of 2026, with the first patient randomization in Q4 2024.
Despite 15.13% of shares being shorted, 32 hedge funds showed a bullish stance on the stock as of the second quarter with stocks worth $1.96 billion. Biotechnology Value Fund is the largest shareholder in the company, holding $956.40 million worth of stock as of June 30. Industry analysts maintain a consensus Buy rating for the company’s stock, with an average price target of $72.86, representing a 30.38% upside potential from its current levels.
Overall MLTX ranks 8th on our list of the worst ADR stocks to buy according to short sellers. While we acknowledge the potential of MLTX as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than MLTX but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.