Monday was a good start to the week for stocks, with major benchmarks climbing around half a percent on the day. Most market participants pointed to a lack of bad news over the weekend and anticipation about expected favorable economic data in the coming days as drivers of the generally positive attitude among investors.

But there are still plenty of factors that are preventing stocks overall from mounting stronger gains, including nervousness about geopolitical issues as well as weaker parts of the global economy. Nevertheless, some stocks posted strong gains, and Puma Biotechnology (NASDAQ:PBYI), Applied Optoelectronics (NASDAQ:AAOI), and Ferroglobe (NASDAQ:GSM) were among the best performers on the day. Below, we’ll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so well.

Image source: Getty Images.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) had its price target lowered by equities research analysts at Morgan Stanley from $107.00 to $99.00 in a report released on Friday. The firm presently has an “equal weight” rating on the biopharmaceutical company’s stock. Morgan Stanley’s price objective would indicate a potential upside of 3.97% from the stock’s current price.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  BidaskClub lowered shares of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday.

• [By Keith Speights]

  It’s not exactly David vs. Goliath. However, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BLCM) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) are definitely in different leagues right now. Both are clinical-stage biotechs, but Bellicum’s market cap is less than $350 million while Alnylam’s market cap is close to $10 billion.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Speaking of competition, Ionis should have its hands full battling rivals for Tegsedi assuming the drug wins approval. Alnylam (NASDAQ:ALNY) anticipates winning FDA approval for its hATTR drug patisiran within a few weeks. Because the FDA delayed its decision on Tegsedi, Alnylam appears to be in position to reach the market first. In addition to its first-mover advantage, patisiranappears to have an edge over Tegsedi in efficacy and safety based on clinical data for the two drugs.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) released first-quarter results last week, but all eyes were looking forward as the company waits for a potential approval of its hereditary TTR amyloidosis (ATTR) drug, patisiran.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) insider Value Fund L. P. Biotechnology sold 1,035,939 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.00, for a total value of $5,179,695.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) Director Ronald M. Lindsay acquired 23,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $2.67 per share, for a total transaction of $63,813.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 43,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $117,213. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) were down 5.4% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $4.71 and last traded at $4.73. Approximately 3,358,864 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 289% from the average daily volume of 863,008 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.00.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ValuEngine upgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report released on Tuesday.

  Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on ARQL. Zacks Investment Research upgraded ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $2.50 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. BidaskClub upgraded ArQule from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, March 24th. B. Riley set a $4.00 price objective on ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Leerink Swann upgraded ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their price objective on ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $5.35.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Biogen Idec Inc(BIIB)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams, Chuck Saletta, and Brian Feroldi]

  As noted, the ability to take numerous swings for the fence makes Ionis special. It’s often a marvel when a mid-cap drugmaker has a half-dozen experimental drugs, let alone one working with 25. Spinal muscular atrophy drug Spinraza, which was licensed to Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), is one such drug that’s put Ionis and its antisense technology on the map. Last year, Spinraza netted “just” $882 million in total sales, but delivered $364 million globally in the first quarter of 2018. That extrapolates out to more than $1.4 billion, which means added royalty revenue for Ionis.

• [By Brian Feroldi]

  Data source: Alkermes. GAAP = generally accepted accounting principles.

  What happened with Alkermes this quarter?
  Sales of Alkermes’opioid- and alcohol-abuse prevention drug Vivitrol grew 7% to $62.7 million. Sales of the company’sschizophrenia drugAristadarose 62% to $29.2 million. Manufacturing and royalty revenue related toJohnson & Johnson’s schizophrenia drugs jumped 15% to $68.8 million. Manufacturing and royalty revenue related toAcorda Therapeutics’ multiple sclerosis drugfell3% to $28.3 million. Research and development revenue earned as part of its collaboration withBiogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) for BIIB098 — which used to be called ALKS 8700 — was $17.5 million.

  Looking beyond the financials, here’s an overview of the key events from the period:

• [By ]

  What should investors do with shares of Celgene (CELG) , Biogen Idec (BIIB) , Gilead Science (GILD) and Regeneron (REGN) ? Cramer once proclaimed these high-fliers his “four horsemen of biotech,” but lately they’ve lost all of their traction, with Celgene down 21%, Biogen off 14%, Gilead down 9% and Regeneron off 23% so far this year.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Shares of Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IONS) ended the day down 10.6% after an earnings reportfrom partner Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) started the day on a sour note. Then shares dropped even further midday after data was releasedfor IONIS-HTTRx, a treatment for Huntington’s disease. Biogen managed to end the day in the green, up 1.1%.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc. cut its stake in shares of Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) by 16.9% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 8,962 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after selling 1,817 shares during the period. Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services Inc.’s holdings in Biogen were worth $2,453,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Intact Investment Management Inc. grew its holdings in Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) by 2,737.5% during the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 45,400 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 43,800 shares during the period. Intact Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Amgen were worth $7,739,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission.

• [By Zacks]

  The FDA also approved biosimilar Erelzi in 2016. However, the launch is pending in the United States due to an ongoing litigation with Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN).

• [By Chris Lange]

  And Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) will report its most recent quarterly results late Thursday. The consensus forecast is $3.24 in EPS and $5.43 billion in revenue. Shares closed on Friday at $171.56, in a 52-week range of $152.16 to $201.23. The consensus price target is $195.14.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Private Capital Group LLC boosted its stake in Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) by 1,703.1% during the first quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 2,362 shares of the medical research company’s stock after purchasing an additional 2,231 shares during the period. Private Capital Group LLC’s holdings in Amgen were worth $403,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Generally speaking, companies that reside within the biotech and pharmaceutical industries are subject to a sizable amount of risk with regards to their drug candidates passing clinical trials and gaining regulatory approval. But consider that with the risk of failure, which could spell disaster for a stock, comes great reward as well. Some companies can see a massive upside just from winning a single midstage trial or even achieving as much as a Fast Track designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Basically, these updates within the industry have the potential to make or break these companies.

Here 24/7 Wall St. has included a calendar of a few of the biggest companies expecting clinical trial and FDA updates in February. We have added some color, a recent trading history and a consensus analyst price target.

Its worth mentioning that these dates may be subject to change due to various internal and outside factors. Some of these changes are positive developments, and some can be disasters if a company is deeply financed.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Invest In 2019: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  BidaskClub lowered shares of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.41) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.06. The business had revenue of $21.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.23 million. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 36.81% and a negative net margin of 565.20%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($1.25) earnings per share. equities analysts anticipate that Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will post -6.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Speaking of competition, Ionis should have its hands full battling rivals for Tegsedi assuming the drug wins approval. Alnylam (NASDAQ:ALNY) anticipates winning FDA approval for its hATTR drug patisiran within a few weeks. Because the FDA delayed its decision on Tegsedi, Alnylam appears to be in position to reach the market first. In addition to its first-mover advantage, patisiranappears to have an edge over Tegsedi in efficacy and safety based on clinical data for the two drugs.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Invest In 2019: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Brian Feroldi]

  The study in questionis called ADVANCE. This phase 3 trial was designed to demonstrate noninferiority of Spectrum’s drug Rolontis when compared to Amgen’s (NASDAQ:AMGN) megablockbuster drug Neulasta in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

• [By ]

  Booker’s report took on other companies as well. Pfizer (PFE) , Gilead Sciences (GILD) , AbbVie  (ABBV) , Amgen (AMGN) , Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) , and Mylan NV (MYL) are cited for everything from raising drug prices, to stock buybacks and putting shareholder interest before that of the public.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall to 9.79 million shares from the previous level of 10.46 million. Shares were last seen at $170.00, in a 52-week trading range of $152.16 to $201.23.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  Patient Amgen Inc.(NASDAQ:AMGN) shareholders have seen the stock quadruple in price over the past decade, plus they’ve enjoyed one of the fastest-growing dividends in biopharma. Now that the company’s launched a new migraine headache drug, investors are wondering if the former highflier can put on another memorable performance.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  South Dakota Investment Council lowered its stake in Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) by 59.4% during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 77,041 shares of the medical research company’s stock after selling 112,589 shares during the quarter. South Dakota Investment Council’s holdings in Amgen were worth $13,134,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest rise to 10.46 million shares from the previous level of 9.49 million. Shares were last seen at $171.94, in a 52-week trading range of $152.16 to $201.23.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Invest In 2019: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Shares of development-stage biopharma ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) rose nearly 17% today after the company announced two appointments to its management team in two newly created positions. Dr. Marc Schegerin will serve as senior vice president, corporate strategy, communication, and finance. Dr. Shirish Hirani will serve as senior vice president, program management and product planning.

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  But Blink and our other penny stocks to watch are unlikely to continue to lock in such spectacular gains in June. After looking at our 10 top penny stocks to watch this month, we’ll show you a small-cap stock with great profit potential in its future…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Month’s Gain
  Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK) $7.07 439.85%
  Senes Tech Inc. (Nasdaq: SNES) $1.27 175.40%
  Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.77 150.41%
  Adomani Inc. (Nasdaq: ADOM) $1.49 137.68%
  NF Energy Saving Co. (Nasdaq: NFEC) $2.34 134.88%
  Vaalco Energy Inc. (NYSE: EGY) $2.15 109.06%
  Heat Biologics Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) $2.35 99.12%
  ArQule Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) $4.88 90.74%
  LiqTech International Inc. (NYSE: LIQT) $0.66 85.60%
  Transenterix Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) $3.46 77.84%

  While last month’s gains are tremendous, they also illustrate the inherent dangers that come with investing in penny stocks.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  What’s behind these dramatic gains? Read on to find out.

  Company Gain in H1 2018 Market Cap
  Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARWR) 270% $1.19 billion
  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) 235% $482 million
  Endocyte, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECYT) 222% $959 million
  Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:MDGL) 205% $3.99 billion

  Data source: YCharts.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ValuEngine upgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report released on Tuesday.

  Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on ARQL. Zacks Investment Research upgraded ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $2.50 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. BidaskClub upgraded ArQule from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, March 24th. B. Riley set a $4.00 price objective on ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Leerink Swann upgraded ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their price objective on ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $5.35.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) were down 5.4% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $4.71 and last traded at $4.73. Approximately 3,358,864 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 289% from the average daily volume of 863,008 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.00.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Invest In 2019: Biogen Idec Inc(BIIB)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Analysts at Canaccord Genuity upgraded Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) from Hold to Buy.

  Biogen shares rose 2.55 percent to close at $294.40 on Tuesday.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close was Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) which traded up about 19% at $355.17. The stocks 52-week range is $249.17 to $370.57. Volume was over 12 million compared to the daily average volume of 1.6 million.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close Wednesday was Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) which traded down about 6% at 297.99. The stocks 52-week range is $244.28 to $370.67. Volume was about 5 million compared to the daily average volume of roughly 1 million.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Drug-developer Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) reported a pretty strong earningsincrease in the first quarter. While revenue growth wasn’t as solid, investors appear to be giving management a pass, thanks to its explanations on why slowing first-quarter sales aren’t a sign of future trouble.

• [By ]

  This week we get our first look at quarterly numbers from major drug and biotech giants such as AbbVie (ABBV)  , Amgen (AMGN)  , Biogen (BIIB) , Biomarin Pharmaceuticals (BMRN)  and Action Alerts PLUS holding Eli Lilly (LLY) , which all provide the market a glimpse of how the first quarter was for the industry over the next few days,” according to Real Money Pro columnist Bret Jensen.

Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc. lifted its stake in Anavex Life Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:AVXL) by 48.8% during the 1st quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The fund owned 76,200 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after purchasing an additional 25,000 shares during the period. Schwab Charles Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Anavex Life Sciences were worth $211,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other large investors also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Bank of New York Mellon Corp boosted its position in shares of Anavex Life Sciences by 60.3% in the 4th quarter. Bank of New York Mellon Corp now owns 177,938 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $573,000 after purchasing an additional 66,931 shares during the last quarter. Deutsche Bank AG boosted its position in shares of Anavex Life Sciences by 150.9% in the 4th quarter. Deutsche Bank AG now owns 82,967 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $266,000 after purchasing an additional 49,904 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Millennium Management LLC boosted its position in shares of Anavex Life Sciences by 95.2% in the 4th quarter. Millennium Management LLC now owns 44,895 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock worth $145,000 after purchasing an additional 21,895 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 23.00% of the company’s stock.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Biogen Idec Inc(BIIB)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Todd Campbell]

  Unfortunately for investors, June’s discovery wasn’t exciting enough for Sangamo partners Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) and Shire (NASDAQ:SHPG). In 2015, Biogen announced a delay to its beta-thalassemia and sickle-cell disease treatment program with Sangamo. And then Shire, a Sangamo collaboration partner since 2012, walked away from Sangamo’s hemophilia program.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Wall Street continued its downward streak on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling more than 100 points. Most major benchmarks fell more modestly, with a few actually poking into positive territory on the day. Trade-sensitive stocks were among the weakest as investors focused on uncertainty related to tariff disputes between the U.S. and China. But for some other companies, bad news of a different sort was responsible for the drops in their shares. Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), Baytex Energy (NYSE:BTE), and Catalyst Biosciences (NASDAQ:CBIO) were among the worst performers on the day. Here’s why they did so poorly.

• [By ]

  What should investors do with shares of Celgene (CELG) , Biogen Idec (BIIB) , Gilead Science (GILD) and Regeneron (REGN) ? Cramer once proclaimed these high-fliers his “four horsemen of biotech,” but lately they’ve lost all of their traction, with Celgene down 21%, Biogen off 14%, Gilead down 9% and Regeneron off 23% so far this year.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) last released its quarterly earnings data on Tuesday, April 24th. The biotechnology company reported $6.05 earnings per share for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $5.93 by $0.12. The firm had revenue of $3.13 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $3.15 billion. Biogen had a net margin of 23.54% and a return on equity of 37.64%. Biogen’s quarterly revenue was up 11.4% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business earned $5.20 earnings per share. research analysts anticipate that Biogen will post 23.94 earnings per share for the current year.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  Biotech traders get heaps of attention, but buying promising young drugmakers and holding them for the long term is a far easier way to get rich. Case in point: Spreading $10,000 evenly among shares of Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB),Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ:CELG), andGilead Sciences Inc.(NASDAQ:GILD) around this time in 1998 would have made you a millionaire already.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  There’s a lot for investors to like aboutAmgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) andBiogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB). Both of these biotech stocks have produced tremendous returns over the past couple of decades, and the businesses they represent still generate enormous profits.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ValuEngine upgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report released on Tuesday.

  Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on ARQL. Zacks Investment Research upgraded ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $2.50 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. BidaskClub upgraded ArQule from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, March 24th. B. Riley set a $4.00 price objective on ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Leerink Swann upgraded ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their price objective on ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $5.35.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) were down 5.4% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $4.71 and last traded at $4.73. Approximately 3,358,864 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 289% from the average daily volume of 863,008 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.00.

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  But Blink and our other penny stocks to watch are unlikely to continue to lock in such spectacular gains in June. After looking at our 10 top penny stocks to watch this month, we’ll show you a small-cap stock with great profit potential in its future…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Month’s Gain
  Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK) $7.07 439.85%
  Senes Tech Inc. (Nasdaq: SNES) $1.27 175.40%
  Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.77 150.41%
  Adomani Inc. (Nasdaq: ADOM) $1.49 137.68%
  NF Energy Saving Co. (Nasdaq: NFEC) $2.34 134.88%
  Vaalco Energy Inc. (NYSE: EGY) $2.15 109.06%
  Heat Biologics Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) $2.35 99.12%
  ArQule Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) $4.88 90.74%
  LiqTech International Inc. (NYSE: LIQT) $0.66 85.60%
  Transenterix Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) $3.46 77.84%

  While last month’s gains are tremendous, they also illustrate the inherent dangers that come with investing in penny stocks.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) Director Ronald M. Lindsay acquired 23,900 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, May 10th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $2.67 per share, for a total transaction of $63,813.00. Following the purchase, the director now directly owns 43,900 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $117,213. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available at this link.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Shares of development-stage biopharma ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) rose nearly 17% today after the company announced two appointments to its management team in two newly created positions. Dr. Marc Schegerin will serve as senior vice president, corporate strategy, communication, and finance. Dr. Shirish Hirani will serve as senior vice president, program management and product planning.

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  It’s not exactly David vs. Goliath. However, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BLCM) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) are definitely in different leagues right now. Both are clinical-stage biotechs, but Bellicum’s market cap is less than $350 million while Alnylam’s market cap is close to $10 billion.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) released first-quarter results last week, but all eyes were looking forward as the company waits for a potential approval of its hereditary TTR amyloidosis (ATTR) drug, patisiran.

• [By Keith Speights]

  I wrote three months ago that I viewed Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) stock as a pretty good pick — but with a couple of qualifications. First, I didn’t think that the biotech would generate returns in 2018 nearly as great as it did last year. Second, I thought that there were even better stocks to buy than Alnylam.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.41) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.06. The business had revenue of $21.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.23 million. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 36.81% and a negative net margin of 565.20%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($1.25) earnings per share. equities analysts anticipate that Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will post -6.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

• [By Sean Williams, Chuck Saletta, and Brian Feroldi]

  So, which biotech stocks should you consider buying in June? That’s a question we posed to three of our healthcare-focused investors. Interestingly enough, mid-cap biotech stocks are the clear flavor of the month. If biotech is on your radar in June, our investors suggest you consider Ionis Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:IONS), Spark Therapeutics (NASDAQ:ONCE), and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY).

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall slightly to 10.61 million shares from the previous level of 10.72 million. Shares were last seen at $184.59, in a 52-week trading range of $163.31 to $201.23.

• [By Keith Speights]

  The big reason Humira will maintain its position at the top is the U.S. market. U.S. sales of the drug are projected to be around $12.2 billion in 2024. That’s not much lower than Humira’s 2017 U.S. sales of nearly $12.4 billion. Will Amgen’s (NASDAQ:AMGN) biosimilar Amjevita, which will go on sale in the U.S. effective Jan. 31, 2023, really make that small of a dent in Humira’s sales? Not really. The impact will be greater than the 2024 projections indicate.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall to 9.58 million shares from the previous level of 10.61 million. Shares were last seen trading at $193.15, in a 52-week trading range of $163.31 to $201.23.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) has been the hands-down winner over Celgene (NASDAQ:CELG) in terms of stock performance over the last year. It’s the same story for revenue generated. Celgene beat Amgen in earnings, but only because of a technicality: Amgen incurred a big one-time tax hit in 2017.

• [By Brian Feroldi]

  The study in questionis called ADVANCE. This phase 3 trial was designed to demonstrate noninferiority of Spectrum’s drug Rolontis when compared to Amgen’s (NASDAQ:AMGN) megablockbuster drug Neulasta in patients with early-stage breast cancer.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and aTyr Pharma (NASDAQ:LIFE) are both medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Shares of Inovio Pharmaceuticals(INO) are climbing today after the biotech company announced that it would begin testing a Zika vaccine in Puerto Rico. Maxim’sJason McCarthy andJason Kolbert have the details:

CREDIT: Alex Wild Published Credit: Alex Wild Alex Wild

Inovio announced the initiation of a small clinical study (N=160) of its Zika vaccine, GLS-5700 (being developed with GeneOne Life Sciences), in Puerto Rico. It is estimated by the CDC that the Zika virus could infect more than 25% of the population of Puerto Rico by YE16.The study will evaluate safety, immunogenicity and early signs of efficacy in preventing Zika infection. Data are expected in 2017, and if positive, Inovio will discuss with regulators the best path forward.

In addition, the phase I study of GLS-5700 (N=40) in the U.S. and Canada, which is the first in-human Zika vaccine study, is now fully enrolled. Data evaluating safety and immunogenicity are expected by YE16.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Brian Orelli]

  The delay in an FDA decision for Tegsedi puts it behind competitor Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY), which expects to hear from the FDA by Aug. 11 for its hATTR drug patisiran. But Sarah Boyce, the president at Akcea Therapeutics, doesn’t think a few months will really matter: “We don’t really feel that’s going to have any impact and the drugs will be close enough together from a launch perspective. So not really [going] to make any adjustments, and we’re very well prepared to be ready to launch following approval.”

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Investment Research from a hold rating to a sell rating. According to Zacks, “Although Alnylam has a broad and promising pipeline, we note that most candidates are in mid stages of development. These candidates still have a long way to go before hitting the market. The company relies highly on collaborators for funding. Any development/regulatory setback would be a negative for the company.  However, Alnylam reported positive data from the ATLAS study in the first quarter which led to regulatory filings for its late-stage pipeline candidate patisiran and the FDA set an action date of Aug 11, 2018. The company along with its partners Sanofi and The Medicines Company, restarted fitusiran's ATLAS phase III study and advanced inclisiran in the ORION-9, -10, and -11 phase III studies, respectively, with results expected for both programs in 2019. Alnylam expects to achieve the profile of three marketed products by the end of 2020.”

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  BidaskClub lowered shares of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) from a strong-buy rating to a buy rating in a research report released on Monday.

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) released first-quarter results last week, but all eyes were looking forward as the company waits for a potential approval of its hereditary TTR amyloidosis (ATTR) drug, patisiran.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall to 9.58 million shares from the previous level of 10.61 million. Shares were last seen trading at $193.15, in a 52-week trading range of $163.31 to $201.23.

• [By ]

  Booker’s report took on other companies as well. Pfizer (PFE) , Gilead Sciences (GILD) , AbbVie  (ABBV) , Amgen (AMGN) , Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) Eli Lilly & Co. (LLY) , and Mylan NV (MYL) are cited for everything from raising drug prices, to stock buybacks and putting shareholder interest before that of the public.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  There’s a lot for investors to like aboutAmgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) andBiogen Inc. (NASDAQ:BIIB). Both of these biotech stocks have produced tremendous returns over the past couple of decades, and the businesses they represent still generate enormous profits.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: Biogen Idec Inc(BIIB)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Shannon Jones]

  In this week’s episode of Industry Focus: Healthcare, host Michael Douglass and Motley Fool contributor Shannon Jones look at what went wrong with Incyte’s Epacadostat, where the company can go from here, and what this unfortunately means for the immuno-oncology sector on the whole. Then, in more pleasant news, the hosts dive into Novartis’ (NYSE:NVS) newest acquisition of gene therapy company AveXis. Find out what this means for Novartis, why Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB)might be getting the stink eye from their investors right about now, whether or not Novartis overpaid to tuck this company under their belt, and more.

• [By Todd Campbell]

  The acquisition of AveXis resulted in an $80 million milestone payment to Regenxbio in Q1 and an additional $100 million payment in June. If AVXS-101 wins an OK, Regenxbio will receive sales royalties in the mid single to low double digits, which could add up to hundreds of millions of dollars annually. For perspective,Biogen’s (NASDAQ:BIIB) Spinraza became the only FDA-approved treatmentfor SMA in late 2016, and its sales are already tracking at an annualized pace of over $1.2 billion, even though only 40% of patients see an improvement on it.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) is expected to report its first-quarter results early on Tuesday. The consensus forecast calls for $5.92 in earnings per share (EPS) and revenue of $3.15 billion. Shares of Biogen ended last week at $263.02. The consensus analyst price target is all the way up at $371.97. The 52-week trading range is $244.28 to $370.57.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage loss ahead of the close was Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) which traded down over 5% at $288.75. The stocks 52-week range is $249.17 to $370.57. Volume was 3.2 million compared to the daily average volume of 1.7 million.

• [By Jim Crumly]

  As for individual stocks, Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB) made headlines with positive results from a trial of an Alzheimer’s drug, and PriceSmart (NASDAQ:PSMT) fell after reporting earnings.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Buy For 2019: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Cory Renauer]

  What’s behind these dramatic gains? Read on to find out.

  Company Gain in H1 2018 Market Cap
  Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARWR) 270% $1.19 billion
  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) 235% $482 million
  Endocyte, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECYT) 222% $959 million
  Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:MDGL) 205% $3.99 billion

  Data source: YCharts.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  BidaskClub upgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Saturday.

  A number of other research firms have also issued reports on ARQL. Roth Capital upped their price target on ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. Leerink Swann upgraded ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Zacks Investment Research lowered ArQule from a buy rating to a hold rating in a research report on Wednesday, April 4th. ValuEngine upgraded ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Finally, B. Riley set a $4.00 price target on ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Seven analysts have rated the stock with a buy rating, The stock currently has an average rating of Buy and an average target price of $4.69.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ValuEngine upgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report released on Tuesday.

  Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on ARQL. Zacks Investment Research upgraded ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $2.50 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. BidaskClub upgraded ArQule from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, March 24th. B. Riley set a $4.00 price objective on ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Leerink Swann upgraded ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their price objective on ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $5.35.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers
  Melinta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MLNT) shares surged 20.6 percent to $6.39. WBB Securities upgraded Melinta Therapeutics from Hold to Speculative Buy.
  Shoe Carnival, Inc. (NASDAQ: SCVL) shares climbed 17.2 percent to $30.87 after the company reported upbeat quarterly earnings.
  Acorn International, Inc. (NYSE: ATV) shares rose 15.2 percent to $28.804 after the company declared a special one-time cash dividend of $14.97 per ADS.
  Foot Locker, Inc. (NYSE: FL) gained 15 percent to $53.35 after the company reported better-than-expected results for its first quarter.
  Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHOS) surged 14.2 percent to $2.625.
  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARQL) rose 13 percent to $5.12 after gaining 4.86 percent on Thursday.
  Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) gained 12.8 percent to $16.97 after the company posted better-than-expected FQ4 results.
  Loma Negra Compañía Industrial Argentina Sociedad Anónima (NYSE: LOMA) shares rose 12 percent to $12.94.
  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ: ARQL) shares rose 12 percent to $5.07.
  Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRTX) climbed 11.4 percent to $43.50.
  Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB) gained 11.3 percent to $24.7000.
  Zymeworks Inc. (NASDAQ: ZYME) rose 9.7 percent to $19.64.
  Park City Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PCYG) climbed 9 percent to $7.90.
  Roku, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROKU) gained 7.9 percent to $38.82 after Citron reversed previously bearish position on the stock.
  Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD) shares jumped 7.3 percent to $3.55.
  Deckers Outdoor Corp (NYSE: DECK) rose 3.5 percent to $107.27 after reporting better-than-expected results for its fiscal fourth quarter.

  Check out these big penny stock gainers and losers

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on ArQule (ARQL)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

The short interest data are out for the most recent settlement date, April 13. Generally speaking, companies within the biotech industry are considered to be a riskier group of stocks, with big potential upside and big potential downside.

As we have said before, FDA rulings can make or break the biotech stocks, and short sellers and mega-bulls often go to war against each other in these companies. After all, if a single failed clinical trial can mean disaster for a stock, then some short sellers can argue for a stock implosion down the road.

24/7 Wall St. has reviewed the top biotech companies, without focusing on speculative companies. The April 13 short interest data have been compared with the previous report, and short interest in most of the selected biotech stocks increased.

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest rise to 10.46 million shares from the previous level of 9.49 million. Shares were last seen at $171.94, in a 52-week trading range of $152.16 to $201.23.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  It’s not exactly David vs. Goliath. However, Bellicum Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BLCM) and Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) are definitely in different leagues right now. Both are clinical-stage biotechs, but Bellicum’s market cap is less than $350 million while Alnylam’s market cap is close to $10 billion.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) last issued its quarterly earnings results on Thursday, May 3rd. The biopharmaceutical company reported ($1.41) EPS for the quarter, topping analysts’ consensus estimates of ($1.47) by $0.06. The business had revenue of $21.90 million during the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $35.23 million. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals had a negative return on equity of 36.81% and a negative net margin of 565.20%. The business’s quarterly revenue was up 15.3% on a year-over-year basis. During the same quarter in the prior year, the business posted ($1.25) earnings per share. equities analysts anticipate that Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. will post -6.7 earnings per share for the current fiscal year.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) was downgraded by analysts at Zacks Investment Research from a hold rating to a sell rating. According to Zacks, “Although Alnylam has a broad and promising pipeline, we note that most candidates are in mid stages of development. These candidates still have a long way to go before hitting the market. The company relies highly on collaborators for funding. Any development/regulatory setback would be a negative for the company.  However, Alnylam reported positive data from the ATLAS study in the first quarter which led to regulatory filings for its late-stage pipeline candidate patisiran and the FDA set an action date of Aug 11, 2018. The company along with its partners Sanofi and The Medicines Company, restarted fitusiran's ATLAS phase III study and advanced inclisiran in the ORION-9, -10, and -11 phase III studies, respectively, with results expected for both programs in 2019. Alnylam expects to achieve the profile of three marketed products by the end of 2020.”

• [By Brian Orelli]

  Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:ALNY) released first-quarter results last week, but all eyes were looking forward as the company waits for a potential approval of its hereditary TTR amyloidosis (ATTR) drug, patisiran.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Speaking of competition, Ionis should have its hands full battling rivals for Tegsedi assuming the drug wins approval. Alnylam (NASDAQ:ALNY) anticipates winning FDA approval for its hATTR drug patisiran within a few weeks. Because the FDA delayed its decision on Tegsedi, Alnylam appears to be in position to reach the market first. In addition to its first-mover advantage, patisiranappears to have an edge over Tegsedi in efficacy and safety based on clinical data for the two drugs.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: ArQule Inc.(ARQL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Money Morning Staff Reports]

  But Blink and our other penny stocks to watch are unlikely to continue to lock in such spectacular gains in June. After looking at our 10 top penny stocks to watch this month, we’ll show you a small-cap stock with great profit potential in its future…

  Penny Stock Current Share Price Law Month’s Gain
  Blink Charging Co. (Nasdaq: BLNK) $7.07 439.85%
  Senes Tech Inc. (Nasdaq: SNES) $1.27 175.40%
  Vivis Inc. (Nasdaq: VVUS) $0.77 150.41%
  Adomani Inc. (Nasdaq: ADOM) $1.49 137.68%
  NF Energy Saving Co. (Nasdaq: NFEC) $2.34 134.88%
  Vaalco Energy Inc. (NYSE: EGY) $2.15 109.06%
  Heat Biologics Inc. (Nasdaq: HTBX) $2.35 99.12%
  ArQule Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQL) $4.88 90.74%
  LiqTech International Inc. (NYSE: LIQT) $0.66 85.60%
  Transenterix Inc. (NYSE: TRXC) $3.46 77.84%

  While last month’s gains are tremendous, they also illustrate the inherent dangers that come with investing in penny stocks.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  What’s behind these dramatic gains? Read on to find out.

  Company Gain in H1 2018 Market Cap
  Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARWR) 270% $1.19 billion
  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) 235% $482 million
  Endocyte, Inc. (NASDAQ:ECYT) 222% $959 million
  Madrigal Pharmaceuticals, Inc.(NASDAQ:MDGL) 205% $3.99 billion

  Data source: YCharts.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) were down 5.4% during trading on Wednesday . The company traded as low as $4.71 and last traded at $4.73. Approximately 3,358,864 shares traded hands during trading, an increase of 289% from the average daily volume of 863,008 shares. The stock had previously closed at $5.00.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL)‘s stock had its “buy” rating restated by equities researchers at Needham & Company LLC in a research report issued to clients and investors on Tuesday, Marketbeat Ratings reports. They currently have a $6.00 price target on the biotechnology company’s stock, up from their prior price target of $5.00. Needham & Company LLC’s price target suggests a potential upside of 134.38% from the company’s previous close.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  ArQule, Inc. (NASDAQ:ARQL) insider Value Fund L. P. Biotechnology sold 1,035,939 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction dated Wednesday, May 30th. The shares were sold at an average price of $5.00, for a total value of $5,179,695.00. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is available through this hyperlink.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  ValuEngine upgraded shares of ArQule (NASDAQ:ARQL) from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report released on Tuesday.

  Several other equities analysts have also issued reports on ARQL. Zacks Investment Research upgraded ArQule from a hold rating to a buy rating and set a $2.50 price objective for the company in a research report on Tuesday, March 20th. BidaskClub upgraded ArQule from a buy rating to a strong-buy rating in a research report on Saturday, March 24th. B. Riley set a $4.00 price objective on ArQule and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, March 26th. Leerink Swann upgraded ArQule from a market perform rating to an outperform rating in a research report on Thursday, April 5th. Finally, Roth Capital boosted their price objective on ArQule from $5.00 to $6.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Tuesday, April 17th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, five have assigned a buy rating and two have issued a strong buy rating to the stock. The company has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $5.35.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amgen Inc.(AMGN)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Keith Speights]

  Amgen (NASDAQ:AMGN) has been the hands-down winner over Celgene (NASDAQ:CELG) in terms of stock performance over the last year. It’s the same story for revenue generated. Celgene beat Amgen in earnings, but only because of a technicality: Amgen incurred a big one-time tax hit in 2017.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall to 9.58 million shares from the previous level of 10.61 million. Shares were last seen trading at $193.15, in a 52-week trading range of $163.31 to $201.23.

• [By ]

  Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) for example, announced FDA approval of its heart-attack prevention therapy on Dec 1. Immediately after, the stock popped 15% in less than two months, moving from $177.20 to $199.

• [By Cory Renauer]

  Patient Amgen Inc.(NASDAQ:AMGN) shareholders have seen the stock quadruple in price over the past decade, plus they’ve enjoyed one of the fastest-growing dividends in biopharma. Now that the company’s launched a new migraine headache drug, investors are wondering if the former highflier can put on another memorable performance.

• [By Keith Speights]

  Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) actually have quite a bit in common. They co-market one of the world’s best-selling drugs, Enbrel. They both face some headwinds with declining sales of older drugs. Each company has promising new drugs. And both stocks are up by nearly the same percentage over the last 12 months.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Biogen Idec Inc(BIIB)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Wall Street continued its downward streak on Monday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average falling more than 100 points. Most major benchmarks fell more modestly, with a few actually poking into positive territory on the day. Trade-sensitive stocks were among the weakest as investors focused on uncertainty related to tariff disputes between the U.S. and China. But for some other companies, bad news of a different sort was responsible for the drops in their shares. Biogen (NASDAQ:BIIB), Baytex Energy (NYSE:BTE), and Catalyst Biosciences (NASDAQ:CBIO) were among the worst performers on the day. Here’s why they did so poorly.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Short interest in Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) decreased to 4.29 million shares from the previous 4.73 million. The stock recently traded at $344.10, within a 52-week range of $249.17 to $370.57.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The S&P 500 stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close was Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) which traded up about 19% at $355.17. The stocks 52-week range is $249.17 to $370.57. Volume was over 12 million compared to the daily average volume of 1.6 million.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  ADAMCAPITAL Gestao de Recursos Ltda. lowered its holdings in Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) by 30.5% in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund owned 125,856 shares of the biotechnology company’s stock after selling 55,267 shares during the quarter. Biogen comprises approximately 1.8% of ADAMCAPITAL Gestao de Recursos Ltda.’s portfolio, making the stock its 16th largest holding. ADAMCAPITAL Gestao de Recursos Ltda.’s holdings in Biogen were worth $36,528,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.