We recently compiled a list of the 12 NASDAQ Stocks with Biggest Upside Potential According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Legend Biotech Corp. (NASDAQ:LEGN) stands against the other NASDAQ stocks.
Potomac Wealth Advisors president Mark Avallone joined CNBC’s ‘The Exchange’ on November 16 to discuss where he sees investing opportunities following Trump’s election. He believes investing in the tech sector makes the most sense given the implications of the 2024 election results for the financial markets. He noted that the election has shifted the underlying dynamics affecting businesses, particularly regarding regulation and taxation. The new administration has changed the previous climate of heightened regulation and discussions around increasing capital gains and corporate taxes. Avallone believes that the potential for reduced regulation and lower taxes on corporations could create a more favorable environment for business growth.
He emphasized that corporate America’s ability to deliver earnings will be crucial, relying on continued efficiencies and advancements in technology. This perspective supports his thesis that investing in technology remains a sound strategy for investors. When discussing specific stocks, Avallone highlighted major tech companies from the MAG7 as particularly attractive. He expressed confidence that the current administration would foster a more supportive environment for these companies, allowing them to thrive.
Avallone also touched on the defense sector, which has historically benefited from global conflicts. He pointed out that defense companies have shown resilience and believes that ongoing global tensions will sustain demand for defense stocks, providing a hedge against market volatility.
However, Avallone expressed caution regarding the healthcare sector, which has been lagging due to heavy regulation and political scrutiny. He noted that despite an aging population driving demand for medical equipment, regulatory pressures have hindered growth in this area. Overall, his analysis underscores a cautious optimism about investing in technology and defense while highlighting potential challenges within healthcare as businesses navigate the post-election landscape.
Methodology
We sifted through Finviz to compile a list of 30 NASDAQ stocks with high upside potentials. We then selected the 12 stocks with the biggest upside potential according to analysts. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of their analysts’ upside potential.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? 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 laboratory with workers in masks and lab coats focused on analyzing cell therapies.
Legend Biotech Corp. (NASDAQ:LEGN)
Average Upside Potential as of November 21: 106.32%
Legend Biotech Corp. (NASDAQ:LEGN) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing innovative cell therapies, particularly chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) oncology therapies, a type of immunotherapy that harnesses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. The lead candidate that falls under this therapy is the company’s lead product candidate, LCAR-B38M, also more commonly known as CARVYKTI (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), which targets multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer that affects plasma cells in the bone marrow and is in advanced clinical trials.
Its strong third-quarter 2024 results were driven by the impressive growth of CARVYKTI. Net trade sales of CARVYKTI reached approximately $286 million, representing an 87.6% year-over-year and 53.2% quarter-over-quarter increase. CARVYKTI demonstrated a 45% reduction in the risk of death compared to standard therapies in multiple myeloma patients. The company received approval for CARVYKTI production in Belgium, expanding its manufacturing capacity in Europe. It has also expanded outpatient treatment options, with outpatient administration now comprising up to 48% of CARVYKTI’s volume.
However, Legend Biotech Corp. (NASDAQ:LEGN) reported a net loss of $0.68 per share for the quarter, primarily due to unrealized foreign exchange losses and increased selling and distribution expenses. The overall Q3 2024 revenue was still up 66.86% year-over-year. With the impressive growth of CARVYKTI, the company is well-positioned to capitalize on the growing demand for this innovative therapy.
TimesSquare Capital Management U.S. Focus Growth Strategy stated the following regarding Legend Biotech Corporation (NASDAQ:LEGN) in its Q2 2024 investor letter:
“Pulling back by -27% was Legend Biotech Corporation (NASDAQ:LEGN), a biotechnology developer of cell therapies to treat blood cancers such as multiple myeloma and leukemia. Recently both the European Union and the FDA approved the use of Legend’s Carvykti treatment of multiple myeloma. Some investors may have been concerned about possible supply delays as Legend ramps up production. Though with a long-standing agreement with Johnson & Johnson and a new partnership with Novartis for increasing production capacity, we see a long runway of growth ahead. Later in the quarter, there were concerns surrounding potential negative impacts from Congress’s draft BIOSECURE Act, which would bar certain Chinese-controlled biotechnology companies from U.S. government contracts. Our initial view is that Legend may not fall under the scope of the Act, though in our discussions with Legend’s management they seem ready to take steps to avoid possible negative outcomes from the Act. However, with that potential risk we removed the position from our concentrated strategy.”
Overall LEGN ranks 6th on our list of the NASDAQ stocks with biggest upside potential according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of LEGN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold great promise for delivering high returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than LEGN 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.