Top 5 CRISPR Stocks To Invest In

3. Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 55

Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing medicines to address unmet medical needs globally. The company’s product portfolio includes treatments for HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, oncology, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and serious invasive fungal infections. It is one of the best gene editing stocks to invest in.

On August 17, 2020, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) and Tango Therapeutics announced an expanded strategic collaboration, focusing on discovering, developing, and commercializing targeted immune evasion therapies for cancer patients. Building on their 2018 agreement, Tango will utilize its CRISPR-enabled functional genomics platform to identify novel immune evasion targets, increasing the number from five to 15. Gilead will have options for worldwide rights to programs targeting these newly identified targets over the next seven years. 

According to Insider Monkey’s third quarter database, 55 hedge funds were long Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD), compared to 56 funds in the earlier quarter. Cliff Asness’ AQR Capital Management is the largest stakeholder of the company, with 4.7 million shares worth $357.7 million. 

In its fourth quarter 2023 investor letter, ClearBridge Dividend Strategy stated the following regarding Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD):

“In the second half of 2023 — as we were selling low-growth, high-multiple stocks and taking advantage of oversold conditions in infrastructure, real estate and utilities — we also found opportunities in overlooked areas of health care. After adding Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD) in the third quarter, we bought AstraZeneca in the fourth quarter. Each of these stocks present distinct investment cases, but both are reasonably valued and have limited patent expiry or pipeline risk. Gilead’s strength comes from its dominant franchise in HIV. It offers lower growth, but it yields nearly 4% and trades at 11x earnings. AstraZeneca possesses a diversified portfolio of pharmaceuticals, which should deliver double-digit earnings growth, yet it trades at just 16x earnings. These stocks were underwritten individually, but collectively we like the idea of increasing our exposure to defensive and growing health care names at below-market multiples.”