Investing

Five Analyst Stock Picks With 100% or More Implied Upside

Every investor dreams of catching lightning in a bottle and picking that incredible stock that doubles or triples. Sometimes it is a well-known name that does it, and sometimes it is an unknown stock that becomes known. This past week we scoured our Wall Street coverage looking for analysts stock picks that have huge upside targets, and we were not disappointed.

24/7 Wall St. has found five stocks from different firms where the target is at least 100% higher than the current price. A word of caution, these stocks are very volatile and only suitable for very aggressive, risk tolerant accounts.

CytRx Corp. (NASDAQ: CYTR) is a top small cap name. Its oncology pipeline includes two programs that are in clinical development for cancer indications. The aldoxorubicin is in pivotal Phase 3 preparation ongoing stage of development for patients with soft tissue sarcomas whose tumors have progressed following treatment with chemotherapy.

CytRx recently announced updated results from its ongoing multicenter, randomized, open-label global Phase 2b clinical trial investigating the efficacy and safety of aldoxorubicin compared with doxorubicin as first-line therapy in subjects with metastatic, locally advanced or unresectable soft tissue sarcomas — significantly increasing progression-free survival at six months, overall response rate and tumor shrinkage, compared to doxorubicin, the current standard-of-care, as a first-line treatment in patients with STS.

CytRx’s potential for this drug is huge, and investors could see a big payback if the research comes to fruition. Aegis Capital has a $12 price target on this red-hot name, and the H.C. Wainwright target is at $10. The Thomson/First Call consensus price target is $11. CytRx shares were trading at $4.41 midday Friday.

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EnteroMedics Inc. (NASDAQ: ETRM) has a huge binary event scheduled for June 17. An FDA panel will discuss its neuroblocking device that is used to help in the treatment for obesity. At an FDA panel, companies meet with assembled experts and usually with the aim of presenting positive clinical trial information and data. Typically then the panel will vote up or down on the drug or product. This is not to be confused with FDA approval meeting. Typically, FDA officials will take the panels’ recommendations under consideration, but even if the vote is negative, it does not mean approval will not happen.

Regional boutique firm Craig-Hallum is bullish on EnteroMedics and the company’s chances at the upcoming panel. The firm has a $6 price target on the stock, and the consensus target is $4.80. Shares were at $1.78 Friday afternoon.

Marin Software Inc. (NYSE: MRIN) is a top stock pick at Deutsche Bank and could bring home the bacon for investors. The company is a provider of a leading revenue acquisition management platform for advertisers and agencies. The company announced last week the acquisition of San Francisco-based Perfect Audience, a privately held display and social retargeting company. Perfect Audience offers advertisers a powerful, easy-to-use SaaS platform to retarget audiences across the Web, Facebook and Twitter. Deutsche Bank has a massive $20 price target, while the consensus is at $17. Marin was trading at $10.12 Friday afternoon.

Relypsa Inc. (NASDAQ: RLYP) is a small-cap name most have not heard of, but it ranks incredibly high with buy-side accounts. The company is focused on the development and commercialization of non-absorbed polymeric drugs to treat disorders in the areas of renal, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

Relypsa’s two-part pivotal Phase 3 trial of its lead product candidate, patiromer, for the treatment of hyperkalemia, a life-threatening condition defined as abnormally elevated levels of potassium in the blood, has been completed and the primary and secondary endpoints were met. Stifel has a huge $45 price target, and Wedbush is even higher at an incredible $57. The consensus price target is a whopping $53. Relypsa shares were at $24.40 late on Friday.

Rigel Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: RIGL) may be another home run stock aggressive traders dream of. The Jefferies analysts point out that not only is the stock trading close to cash, with $2.33 per share on the balance sheet, the stock is down a staggering 24% just since the start of the second quarter.

Plain and simple, the Jefferies analysts see Rigel as perhaps one of the best small-cap opportunities for longer-term investors. They point out that with one of the most de-risked Phase 3 assets in biotech, a huge safety database from the prior rheumatoid arthritis development program, a validated $700 million or larger market opportunity, and growing at more than 20% year-over-year, everything may line up for an out-of-the-park stock. The Jefferies price target for the stock, which is rated as Buy, is a gigantic $10. The consensus on Wall Street is at $6. Rigel shares were at $3.70 in late Friday trading, implying close to a 200% gain if the call comes to fruition.

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In conclusion, these stocks are clearly not for the timid and should only be in aggressive, high-risk tolerant accounts. It should be understood that no widows and orphans funds would be appropriate here. With that caveat aside, hitting one of the five to their target could be a huge winner for investors with a trading bent. One thing goes along with good research, and that is patience. Sometimes it takes a while for the bandwagon on a hot stock to move. Sometimes the expectation does not pan out. But when it does, look out, the sky can be the limit.

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