Stock Market Today, Jan. 23: ImmunityBio Falls After Gaining Over 200% in a Month

ImmunityBio (NASDAQ:IBRX), an immunity-focused biotech, closed Friday’s session at $6.45, down 12.13%. The stock is still up 63.29% in the past five days and 207.14% in the past month.

Trading volume reached 74.6 million shares, coming in about 238% above its three-month average of 22.1 million shares. ImmunityBio IPO'd in 2015 and has fallen 83% since going public.

How the markets moved today

The broader markets were relatively steady Friday, with the S&P 500 (SNPINDEX:^GSPC) edging up 0.03% to 6,915 and the Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX:^IXIC) rising 0.28% to finish at 23,501. Among biotechnology & pharmaceuticals peers, Merck (NYSE:MRK) and BioNTech (NASDAQ:BNTX) posted slight losses, underscoring ongoing volatility around oncology and vaccine pipelines.

What this means for investors

ImmunityBio has skyrocketed in recent weeks, and today’s losses could be down to profit taking. In January alone, the company agreed on a pathway with the FDA to resubmit its Anktiva bladder cancer therapy application. And the Saudi FDA granted approval for Anktiva.

Last week, the firm’s full-year results beat analyst expectations. Its net profit of $113 million, was about 700% up year-on-year. Today, it announced that 19 out of 23 patients with progressive glioblastoma receiving Anktiva are still alive, but that median overall survival has not yet been reached.

Several analysts including H.C. Wainwright have raised their price targets for the stock. Finally, exits from short sellers have boosted the cancer drugmaker. with Bloomberg reporting paper losses of around $492 million for short sellers.

Emma Newbery has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Merck. The Motley Fool recommends BioNTech Se. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.