Mizuho Securities has sustained its positive stance on Axsome Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NASDAQ:AXSM), reiterating an Outperform rating and a $106.00 price target for the company's stock.
The firm's confidence follows a specialized discussion on intellectual property (IP) and patent issues concerning biopharmaceutical companies, including Axsome.
The call, led by a knowledgeable law professor with expertise in IP, reviewed the challenges Axsome faces regarding patents for its marketed products, Auvelity and Sunosi.
The conversation aimed to provide updates on the patent disputes surrounding Axsome's products.
According to the firm, the insights gained from the expert call reinforced their belief in Axsome's capacity to protect its Auvelity and Sunosi franchises against generic competitors. This assurance is timely as Axsome anticipates significant Phase 3 data readouts later in the year for both products.
The impending data, if favorable, is expected to create a substantial increase in the company's value. The firm's analyst highlighted Axsome as a standout choice for investors in 2024 and specifically underscored its potential in September 2024.
In other recent news, Axsome Therapeutics has made significant strides with its migraine treatment drug, AXS-07. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted for review Axsome's resubmission of its New Drug Application for AXS-07, setting a goal date of January 31, 2025, for the decision. H.C. Wainwright, maintaining a Buy rating on Axsome, anticipates that the drug could generate sales of approximately $79 million in 2025.
The firm's analysis suggests that AXS-07 could achieve blockbuster status in the late 2020s. In addition, Axsome Therapeutics has seen considerable analyst activity. Wells Fargo (NYSE:WFC) initiated coverage on the company with an Overweight rating, while Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) maintained an Overweight rating on Axsome shares. BofA Securities upgraded Axsome Therapeutics from Neutral to Buy, with H.C. Wainwright and RBC Capital adjusting their price targets for Axsome.
Furthermore, Citi reaffirmed its Buy rating on Axsome. These developments highlight the potential of Axsome's drug for Alzheimer's disease agitation, AXS-05, and the commercial prospects of its treatments in development.
InvestingPro Insights
In light of Mizuho Securities' optimistic outlook on Axsome Therapeutics, real-time data and InvestingPro Tips further enrich the investment perspective on the company. With a market capitalization of approximately $4.45 billion and a striking gross profit margin of 90.3% in the last twelve months as of Q2 2024, Axsome showcases impressive financial health in terms of profitability. Despite not yet being profitable, the company's liquid assets have been reported to exceed short-term obligations, indicating a sound liquidity position.
InvestingPro Tips highlight that Axsome operates with a moderate level of debt, which could be reassuring for investors concerned about financial stability. However, it is also worth noting that Axsome is trading at a high Price/Book multiple of 43.26, suggesting that the stock is quite expensive relative to the company's book value. This could be indicative of high growth expectations from the market or potentially overvalued stock, depending on one's perspective.
For investors interested in market performance, Axsome has experienced a significant return over the last three months, with a 30.42% price total return, and the stock is trading near its 52-week high, at 94.2% of this peak. While 12 analysts have revised their earnings downwards for the upcoming period, indicating potential concerns about the company's future earnings potential, the overall strong historical performance may still make Axsome an attractive investment for those who are bullish on the company's clinical trial outcomes and IP defense strategies.
For those seeking a more comprehensive analysis, InvestingPro offers additional tips on Axsome, available at https://www.investing.com/pro/AXSM, which could provide further insights for an informed investment decision.
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