Piper Jaffray Loses Confidence In Insys Therapeutics, Downgrades Stock


Crypto Whales Are Loading Up — Are You?

New research shows the biggest crypto buyers are back. And this time? They could hold for the possibility that Bitcoin will surpass $100,000 in 2024. You don’t want to miss the next massive crypto bull run like we saw in 2020 and 2021. To know exactly what’s going on and what to buy… Get Access To Benzinga’s Best Crypto Research and Investments For Only $1.


Insys Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:INSY), a pharmaceutical company that focuses on a sublingual fentanyl spray for breakthrough cancer pain (BTCP) in opioid-tolerant patients called Subsys, reported its fourth quarter results Thursday which prompted Piper Jaffray to downgrade the stock.

The Analyst

Piper Jaffray's David Amsellem downgraded Insys Therapeutics' stock from Neutral to Underweight with a price target lowered from $5 to $4.

The Thesis

Heading into Insys' fourth quarter print, weakness from the company's key top-line driver Subsys was expected given the pressure facing its TIRF (transmucosal immediate-release fentany) market, Amsellem said a note. As expected, sales did fall short of expectations as evident by a revenue miss but the bigger takeaway is management's guidance for a relatively stable total sales in 2018 compared to 2017.

Management's commentary naturally implies stability in the TIRF market but "this has no basis in reality" given the ongoing opioid crisis and TIRF products have been "among the most controversial agents" within the opioid space, the analyst said. Management's guidance also "flies in the face of reality" and should "raise real questions" relating to the company's judgment and credibility.

The "weak roll out" of the company's Syndros doesn't inspire any confidence in management's guidance, Amsellem said. While the company may deserve some credit for advancing its pipeline the fact is the "relatively poor execution" on Syndros casts some doubt on management's ability to successfully commercialize new products.

Price Action

Shares of Insys Therapeutics were trading lower by 3 percent Friday at $7.45.

Insys Accepts Founder Kapoor's Resignation, Preps $150 Million To Settle Dept. Of Justice Investigation

22 Stocks To Watch After President Trump Declares Opioid Epidemic A National Health Emergency


Crypto Whales Are Loading Up — Are You?

New research shows the biggest crypto buyers are back. And this time? They could hold for the possibility that Bitcoin will surpass $100,000 in 2024. You don’t want to miss the next massive crypto bull run like we saw in 2020 and 2021. To know exactly what’s going on and what to buy… Get Access To Benzinga’s Best Crypto Research and Investments For Only $1.


ENTER TO WIN $500 IN STOCK OR CRYPTO

Enter your email and you'll also get Benzinga's ultimate morning update AND a free $30 gift card and more!

Posted In: Analyst ColorDowngradesPrice TargetAnalyst RatingscancerDavid AmsellemOpioidOpioid TreatmentPiper JaffraySubsys