Short Sellers Back Off of Major Biotechs

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By Chris Lange Updated Published
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Short Sellers Back Off of Major Biotechs

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The short interest data are out for the February 29 settlement date. Biotech companies are considered a riskier group of stocks, with big upside and big downside. FDA rulings can make or break them. A single failed clinical trial can mean disaster for a stock. 24/7 Wall St. has reviewed the top biotech companies, without focusing on speculative companies.

The February 29 short interest data have been compared with the previous report, and short interest decreased across the board in these selected stocks for this settlement date.

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) saw its short interest fall to 9.97 million shares from the previous level of 10.63 million. Shares closed most recently at $140.90, in a 52-week trading range of $130.09 to $181.81.

Biogen Inc. (NASDAQ: BIIB) had its short interest decrease to 2.73 million from the previous level of 3.37 million. Shares closed Wednesday at $255.66, within a 52-week range of $242.07 to $480.18.

Celgene Corp. (NASDAQ: CELG) short interest for this settlement date increased to 13.34 million shares from the previous 11.74 million. Shares of Celgene closed most recently at $101.04, in a 52-week range of $92.98 to $140.72.
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Gilead Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) saw its short interest fall to 36.31 million shares from 39.79 million in the previous period. Shares closed Wednesday at $87.83, in a 52-week trading range of $81.89 to $123.37.

MannKind Corp. (NASDAQ: MNKD) saw its short interest decrease to 117.26 million shares. The previous reading was 130.25 million. Shares closed most recently at $1.19, in a 52-week trading range of $0.64 to $7.32.

Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: ALXN) short interest increased to 5.84 million, compared to the previous level of 5.66 million. Shares closed most recently at $140.52, in a 52-week range of $130.51 to $208.88.

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About the Author Chris Lange →

Chris Lange is a writer for 24/7 Wall St., based in Houston. He has covered financial markets over the past decade with an emphasis on healthcare, tech, and IPOs. During this time, he has published thousands of articles with insightful analysis across these complex fields. Currently, Lange's focus is on military and geopolitical topics.

Lange's work has been quoted or mentioned in Forbes, The New York Times, Business Insider, USA Today, MSN, Yahoo, The Verge, Vice, The Intelligencer, Quartz, Nasdaq, The Motley Fool, Fox Business, International Business Times, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Barron’s, Benzinga, and many other major publications.

A graduate of Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, Lange majored in business with a particular focus on investments. He has previous experience in the banking industry and startups.

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