On Friday, Stifel made adjustments to its outlook on shares of Iovance Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:IOVA), reducing the price target to $23.00 from the previous $28.00. Despite this change, the firm has reiterated its Buy rating for the biotechnology company's stock. The adjustment follows Iovance's second quarter 2024 update, which, according to the firm, suggests a positive outlook for revenue growth and a product launch trajectory similar to that of Carvykti.
Iovance reported Amtagvi sales for the quarter at $12.8 million, falling short of the consensus estimates of approximately $24 million. Nonetheless, Stifel anticipates the company's stock to rise due to the robust revenue guidance provided. The firm also highlighted an early indication of Amtagvi infusions for the third quarter of 2024, which have reached 30 patients thus far.
The company's management has bolstered expectations for a swifter increase in revenue, announcing that the expansion of their manufacturing facility, known as iCTC, has commenced. Stifel acknowledges that there is a learning curve evident from the cost of goods sold (COGS), which implies a negative gross margin. However, the firm believes the recent update confirms strong demand for Iovance's products.
If Iovance meets its third-quarter revenue guidance of $53 million to $55 million, Stifel expects it will reinforce confidence in the company's projections for 2024 and 2025. These projections forecast revenues to reach between $160 million to $165 million for 2024, and $450 million to $475 million for 2025. As a result of the latest developments, Stifel has increased its sales estimates for Amtagvi and Proleukin in the near term, although it also anticipates higher long-term COGS at 27%, which has influenced the reduced price target.
In other recent news, Iovance Biotherapeutics faced a downgrade from Piper Sandler, citing manufacturing delays and a slower-than-expected start for the newly approved Amtagvi. This led to a reduction in the revenue forecast for 2Q24 and FY24. Despite this, the company reported a net loss of $113 million for the first quarter of 2024 with revenues of $715,000 from Proleukin sales, and a successful launch of Amtagvi with over 160 patients enrolled.
Simultaneously, Iovance submitted a marketing authorization application to the European Medicines Agency for its cancer treatment, lifileucel. Analyst firm H.C. Wainwright maintained its Buy rating on Iovance, citing the robust data portfolio of lifileucel and the company's successful efforts to gain approval in the U.S.
In other developments, the company's Annual Meeting of Stockholders resulted in the approval of key proposals and the election of seven board members. Piper Sandler and Stifel also maintained their positive ratings on the company, citing promising clinical trial results and the potential of Amtagvi. These are the latest updates for Iovance Biotherapeutics.
InvestingPro Insights
Recent adjustments to Iovance Biotherapeutics' (NASDAQ:IOVA) outlook by Stifel come at a time when the company's financial metrics offer a mixed picture. According to InvestingPro data, Iovance holds a market capitalization of $2.22 billion, yet faces a negative P/E ratio of -4.39, reflecting its current lack of profitability. The company's gross profit margin stands at an alarming -846.22%, underscoring the challenges mentioned by Stifel in terms of the cost of goods sold and negative gross margin.
Despite these financial hurdles, InvestingPro Tips suggest that analysts remain optimistic about Iovance's sales growth in the current year. This aligns with Stifel's positive outlook on revenue growth and product launch trajectory. Furthermore, Iovance's balance sheet appears resilient, with cash reserves exceeding debt, which may provide some financial flexibility in the face of its cash burn challenges.
For investors seeking a deeper dive into Iovance's financials and future prospects, InvestingPro offers an array of additional tips. Currently, there are 10 more tips available on InvestingPro, which can provide a more comprehensive analysis to those considering the company's stock. For more details, visit https://www.investing.com/pro/IOVA.
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