Are Investors Making a Big Mistake Dumping Shares of CRISPR Therapeutics?

One of the biggest opportunities in healthcare today centers around genome editing. According to analysts at Grand View Research, the global genome market is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of more than 16% until the end of the decade. Stocks involved in gene-editing therapies could be incredible investments to hold on to in the long run.

One of them is CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP). It has an approved gene-editing therapy, but investors haven't been buying up the stock. Instead, it's been in a free fall over the past year. Its financials haven't been looking all that impressive and as a result, growth investors have been dumping the stock. But could that be a mistake?

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Is a lack of profitability keeping investors away?

A big risk with a business such as CRISPR is that because it's still in its early growth stages, it'll take time before its financials show significant progress. The company recently reported its first-quarter earnings covering the first three months of the year, and CRISPR's revenue totaled just $865,000 -- nowhere near enough to cover its operating expenses totaling $149 million during the period.

And that revenue was from grants rather than product sales. Its net loss totaled $136 million, which was actually worse than the $117 million loss it incurred in the prior-year period.

The company has an approved gene therapy treatment in Casgevy, for both sickle cell disease and transfusion-dependent beta thalassemia. Under the terms of its agreement with its development partner, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, CRISPR will share in the profits on Casgevy (it will keep 40%), but it will be Vertex that will report the revenue.

Thus, investors shouldn't expect to see a huge increase in sales even as Casgevy is rolled out. The hope is, however, that it can improve profitability.

CRISPR will require a lot of patience

For the first three months of the year, Vertex reported just $14.2 million in sales from Casgevy. At its peak, the treatment's sales could top more than $3 billion. There's still a long way to go for Casgevy, and while right now there hasn't been signs of progress on CRISPR's financials, investors shouldn't lose hope.

The good news is that the business is well-funded and isn't in danger of running out of cash anytime soon. As of the end of the first quarter, CRISPR had nearly $1.9 billion in cash and marketable securities. And it burned through just under $54 million during the period. Given how much liquidity it has available, the cash burn is not at such a high pace that it puts CRISPR in a perilous financial position.

Should you invest in CRISPR Therapeutics stock?

Entering trading this week, shares of CRISPR are down more than 33% over the past 12 months. Investors simply haven't been seeing any notable progress with the business, and in a time when the markets are starting to look a bit shaky, it hasn't given growth investors much reason to be bullish.

But just because progress isn't visible in its financial results just yet doesn't mean the business isn't worth taking a chance on. In addition to an approved treatment for Casgevy, CRISPR also is working on developing treatments for cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Already having one approved gene-editing therapy approved is a good sign the company is moving in the right direction.

It may take years before CRISPR becomes profitable, and there will be some risk with the healthcare stock. However, with a market cap of just $3 billion, this doesn't look like an overpriced stock, given the potential for Casgevy and if CRISPR is able to obtain approval for any other treatments.

If you're comfortable with some risk, CRISPR may be a good place to invest a modest amount of money as the stock possesses a lot of possible upsides. However, you shouldn't expect a quick return or path to profitability. Patience will be key with the stock. Giving up on CRISPR at this stage could prove to be a costly mistake.

Should you invest $1,000 in CRISPR Therapeutics right now?

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David Jagielski has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CRISPR Therapeutics and Vertex Pharmaceuticals. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.