We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Biotech Penny Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Alector, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALEC) stands against the other biotech penny stocks.

Biotech Stocks in 2024: Growth Prospects, Key Players, and Investment Opportunities

In 2024, the healthcare industry has been doing well, encouraging investors to look into new and exciting opportunities. Particularly biotech is anticipated to profit, despite the dangers of continuous mergers and acquisitions. Traders ought to exercise caution. With an 11.8% CAGR, the worldwide biotechnology market is expected to reach USD 4.25 trillion by 2033. It is expanding quickly. The U.S. market is projected to increase at an 11.90% CAGR to reach USD 763.82 billion by 2033 from its 2023 valuation of USD 246.18 billion. In 2023, the U.S. led North America in terms of revenue share.

Fitch Ratings maintains a Neutral outlook for the global biotech industry in 2024. Its primary motivation to do so is the moderating inflationary rates. The industry is supported by factors such as a growing aging population, increased healthcare access, and a rise in chronic and specialist conditions. Fitch also forecasts a heightened focus on drug pricing and patient value.

Biotech equities including Vincerx Pharma (VINC), Corbus Pharmaceuticals (CRBP), and Viking Therapeutics (VKTX) have seen significant gains in 2024, with returns ranging from 134% to 446%, despite receiving less media attention than industries like technology and cryptocurrencies. Positive weight loss drug trial findings, for example, let Viking Therapeutics connect its product with a potentially billion-dollar market need. Although the success of individual stocks indicates prospective gains, larger indexes such as the NASDAQ Biotechnology PR USD Index reveal the volatility of the industry; it fell 11% between 2022 and 2023 as a result of economic difficulties but gained 3% by February 2024.

Investors eyeing biotech stocks may wonder which areas are prone to buyouts. Laura Chico identified key areas to watch for potential buyouts:

“Obesity has been a really big theme in 2023, and will probably continue for the foreseeable future, but across the area, at least in these recent M&A transactions, it’s been really broad-based, and I think that’s really a testament to the innovation in the space. We have several deals in oncology, immunology, inflammation, neuro, and even rare diseases. So it’s not just within certain verticals at this point.”

Chico advises biotech investors to monitor FDA approval news, scientific and clinical risks, and the disease categories that companies are targeting since these might provide indicators of company success. On March 6, Healthcare Equity Strategist Jared Holz talked about this possibility on CNBC’s “The Exchange”:

“[Biotech] has been one of the worst spaces in all of the equity market since mid-2021. We’ve barely seen any positive activity for any pronounced period until very recently… When you consider the risk factors, concerning drug prices and other elements of the business… all these risk factors are much more well understood and we can continue to move higher from here.”

Holz emphasizes the potential in well-positioned small-cap choices and says it’s not too late to invest in large-cap biotech equities. We’ve put up a list of oversold biotech stocks, which includes excellent choices under $20 as well as cheap options that have been missed.

Our Methodology 

To rank the best biotech penny stocks to buy now, we first identified large biotech companies priced under $5. We then selected the top 10 and ranked them based on the number of hedge fund holders in Q1 2024.

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).

Alector, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALEC)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 24 

Alector, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALEC) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and immuno-neurology.  Alector has demonstrated noteworthy advancements in its clinical programs, specifically in the areas of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and Alzheimer’s disease. AL001, which is their front-runner, has shown encouraging outcomes in FTD patients with progranulin mutations. Alector stated in January 2024 that it intended to raise money for its general company operations and future clinical pipeline breakthroughs through a public offering of common stock. With an emphasis on genetic forms of dementia and cutting-edge methods for treating immune dysfunction in the brain, Alector has established himself as a leader in immuno-neurology in response to the biotech industry’s growing interest in treatments for neurodegenerative diseases.

Alector, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALEC) holds a Moderate Buy rating based on analysis by 7 Wall Street analysts over the past 3 months. The average 12-month price target is $15.17, ranging from $9.00 to $35.00. This suggests a potential 234.14% increase from its current trading price of $4.54. In Q1 2024, 24 hedge funds held positions in the company. The hedge fund with the largest share was EcoR1 Capital with 4,056,548 shares worth $24,420,419, comprising 0.61% of the company’s total portfolio.

In Q1 2024, Alector, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALEC) reported collaboration revenue of $15.9 million, down slightly from $16.5 million in Q1 2023, primarily due to lower AL001 program revenue. Research and development expenses decreased to $45.2 million from $51.9 million which was driven by prioritization of late-stage programs and reduced personnel costs. The company recorded a net loss of $36.1 million, or $0.38 per share in the same period, improving from $45.9 million, or $0.55 per share, in Q1 2023. As of March 31, 2024, Alector held $562.1 million in cash, cash equivalents, and investments following a January 2024 follow-on financing.

Overall ALEC ranks 4th on our list of the best biotech penny stocks to buy. You can visit 10 Best Biotech Penny Stocks to Buy Now to see the other biotech penny stocks that are on hedge funds’ radar. While we acknowledge the potential of ALEC as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than ALEC 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.