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Those Who Purchased ImmuPharma (LON:IMM) Shares Five Years Ago Have A 80% Loss To Show For It

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We're definitely into long term investing, but some companies are simply bad investments over any time frame. We don't wish catastrophic capital loss on anyone. Spare a thought for those who held ImmuPharma plc (LON:IMM) for five whole years - as the share price tanked 80%. And we doubt long term believers are the only worried holders, since the stock price has declined 49% over the last twelve months. Unfortunately the share price momentum is still quite negative, with prices down 25% in thirty days.

View our latest analysis for ImmuPharma

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ImmuPharma recorded just UK£81,281 in revenue over the last twelve months, which isn't really enough for us to consider it to have a proven product. You have to wonder why venture capitalists aren't funding it. As a result, we think it's unlikely shareholders are paying much attention to current revenue, but rather speculating on growth in the years to come. Investors will be hoping that ImmuPharma can make progress and gain better traction for the business, before it runs low on cash.

As a general rule, if a company doesn't have much revenue, and it loses money, then it is a high risk investment. There is usually a significant chance that they will need more money for business development, putting them at the mercy of capital markets. So the share price itself impacts the value of the shares (as it determines the cost of capital). While some such companies go on to make revenue, profits, and generate value, others get hyped up by hopeful naifs before eventually going bankrupt. ImmuPharma has already given some investors a taste of the bitter losses that high risk investing can cause.

ImmuPharma had cash in excess of all liabilities of just UK£3.9m when it last reported (December 2018). So if it has not already moved to replenish reserves, we think the near-term chances of a capital raising event are pretty high. That probably explains why the share price is down 27% per year, over 5 years. You can click on the image below to see (in greater detail) how ImmuPharma's cash levels have changed over time. The image below shows how ImmuPharma's balance sheet has changed over time; if you want to see the precise values, simply click on the image.

AIM:IMM Historical Debt, July 9th 2019
AIM:IMM Historical Debt, July 9th 2019

It can be extremely risky to invest in a company that doesn't even have revenue. There's no way to know its value easily. What if insiders are ditching the stock hand over fist? I'd like that just about as much as I like to drink milk and fruit juice mixed together. It only takes a moment for you to check whether we have identified any insider sales recently.

A Different Perspective

ImmuPharma shareholders are down 49% for the year, but the market itself is up 2.5%. However, keep in mind that even the best stocks will sometimes underperform the market over a twelve month period. Unfortunately, last year's performance may indicate unresolved challenges, given that it was worse than the annualised loss of 27% over the last half decade. Generally speaking long term share price weakness can be a bad sign, though contrarian investors might want to research the stock in hope of a turnaround. You could get a better understanding of ImmuPharma's growth by checking out this more detailed historical graph of earnings, revenue and cash flow.

If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of companies that have proven they can grow earnings.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on GB exchanges.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading.