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PPDI: This Could Be the Biggest Biotech Trade Of 2010

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:00:40 GMT

I thought it was an urban legend – an investment book selling for $1,000. But do a search on Amazon for "Margin of Safety," and you'll see what I mean. New copies of Seth Klarman's out-of-print book fetch anywhere from $1,200 to $2,500 a pop. Forget about checking it out at your local library. Freebooters have swiped most public copies.[More...]

Spotlight On: Biotech

Sun, 09 Aug 2009 19:06:17 GMT

Spotlight On: Biotech The U.S. biotechnology industry includes about 1,000 companies, of all sizes, with combined annual revenues close to $50 billion. Large companies include Amgen, Biogen Idec, Genetech, Genzyme, Life Technologies and Monsanto. Because so many drugs are now developed using biotechnology, the biotech and pharmaceutical industries overlap. Demand for biotechnology products and services is driven primarily by the willingness of insurers to pay for new medical treatments. With the pending introduction of Obamacare, new uncertainties are introduced to this industry. Biotech products and treatments tend to be expensive and the drive to reduce costs through rationing will no doubt effect this industry. The profitability of individual companies depends on the discovery and effective marketing of new products. Because the market for potential[More...]

FDA Calendar Updates: AMAG, PPDI, Takeda

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:39:42 GMT

Below is a summary of updates to the BioMedReports.com FDA Calendar, which includes a database of over 200 entries. The calendar was originally created by Mike Havrilla to track companies with pending new drug, biological agent, or medical device new product decisions at the FDA. With the launch of BioMedReports.com, the FDA Calendar has expanded to include the following categories: pending new submissions to the FDA (e.g. NDA, BLA, 510k, PMA, sNDA, sBLA filings), pending complete response lette (...)[More...]

Bret Barakett's Tremblant Capital Group Bets On Technology: 13F Filing Q1 2009

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 16:15:00 GMT

This is the 1st Quarter 2009 edition of our ongoing hedge fund portfolio tracking series. Before reading this update, make sure you check out the Hedge Fund 13F filings series preface. Next up, we have Tremblant Capital Group. Tremblant is a $3 billion hedge fund based in New York and is run by Bret Barakett, who is a former portfolio manager at Moore Capital Management (the hedge fund run by the great Louis Bacon, whom we also track). If the last name of 'Barakett' sounds familiar, its because his brother, Timothy Barakett, manages fellow hedge fund Atticus Capital, whose portfolio we recently covered. Taken from their site, Tremblant Capital Group's objective is "to achieve superior risk adjust returns[More...]

Dividend Investors Running With The bulls

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:55:56 GMT

The stock market index S&P 500 has risen by 37.8% from its lows in early march. The S&P 500 is also almost 1.80% higher since the beginning of 2009. Investors are now being bombarded with conflicting advice from both from the bullish and the bearish camp. The bears claim that the rally overextended and due for a sharp correction once S&P 500 falls below 878. The bulls believe that bears are in for a surprise once S&P[More...]

Healthcare, Is The Model Changing?

Fri, 08 May 2009 12:22:52 GMT

The healthcare industry is undergoing a large transformation and the whole landscape has drastically changed in the last few quarters. The distressed markets have created immense opportunities for large cap pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies looking to expand their business by expanding their product lines. Even though credit is hard to come by, these “cash cow” companies have been able to raise the necessary funds in order to successfully follow through with their acquisition strategy. In the last few months we saw Pfizer (PFE: 14.16, 0.00 (0.00%)) purchase Wyeth, Merck (MRK: 25.21,[More...]

NDX 100 New Faces: Year End Changes

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 19:35:00 GMT

NASDAQ announced eleven component changes to the NASDAQ 100 Index. All new members will be added this Monday December 22nd. Let’s take a quick look at the companies that are being added to the $NDX: Automatic Data Processing (NASD:ADP) Daily Chart with InVivo Swing Trading Tools First Solar, Inc. (NASD:FSLR) [More...]

Big Pharma Effect

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 00:39:00 GMT

I have not been the first nor will not be the last to point out the troubles of Big Pharma; however, how can you as an investor take advantage of the weak sub-sector and transfer your investments to another attractive area of Healthcare that will be reaping the benefits? In this article, I will point an attractive industry that will be benefiting from what I like to call, the Big Pharma Effect.What’s happening in Big Pharma?The patent expirations are building up and margins are getting squeezed. We’ll take a closer look at exactly what is coming off of patent. The following chart details the top twenty branded U.S. Drugs from May 2008.[More...]

Bookkeeping: Creating a CRO Basket

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 16:07:00 GMT

I've been talking about these healthcare contract research organizations (CROs) for a long time, but aside from WuXi PharmaTech (WX) have not taken the plunge - to my chagrin. With the lack of market leadership ex-healthcare, this is one sector where I ca[More...]

Does Omnicare Fit as a Fiddle?

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 22:40:23 GMT

My latest column is up at RealMoney.[More...]

PPD Declares Third Quarter Dividend

Tue, 18 Aug 2009 13:50:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced that its board of directors declared a cash dividend for the third quarter of 2009 under its annual cash dividend policy.
The record date for the third quarter dividend is September 15, 2009, and the payment date is September 29, 2009.
The annual cash dividend policy and the payment of future quarterly cash dividends under that policy are subject to the continuing determination by the board of directors that the policy remains in the best interests of the company's shareholders and in compliance with applicable laws and agreements.

[More...]

PPD Named One of North Carolina’s Best Employers

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:25:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced it has been named one of the Best Employers in North Carolina for 2009 and is featured in the July/August issue of NC Magazine. PPD ranked number seven among all companies and is the only contract research organization to receive the award.[More...]

PPD Reports Second Quarter 2009 Financial Results

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:47:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today reported its financial and operating results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2009.
Therefore, the company is reporting current and historical financial results for this business in discontinued operations.
PPD recorded net revenue of $355.2 million for the second quarter of 2009, compared to $403.1 million for the second quarter of 2008.

[More...]

BenchmarkJournal.Com Free Analyst Review for PCBC, SHLD, PPDI, SOHU, AMMD and TSTR

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:14:00 GMT

Benchmark Journal brings independent company and sector research together, utilizing top financial advisors and investment tactics to provide you with a clear picture of investment opportunities.
Today we began research on Pacific Capital Bancorp (NASDAQ: PCBC), Sears Holdings Corporation (NASDAQ: SHLD), Pharmaceutical Product Development Inc. (NASDAQ: PPDI), Sohu.com Inc. (NASDAQ: SOHU), American Medical Systems Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: AMMD) and TerreStar Corporation (NASDAQ: TSTR).
To view our research, sign up now and get started with your complimentary subscription.

[More...]

PPD Announces Second Quarter 2009 Earnings Release, Webcast and Conference Call

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:57:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (NASDAQ:PPDI) will release its second quarter 2009 financial results on Tuesday, July 21, 2009, after the market closes. The earnings release will be available on the PPD Web site at http://www.ppdi.com, FirstCall and Business Wire.[More...]

PPD Confirms Takeda Receives FDA Complete Response for Alogliptin

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 12:54:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (NASDAQ: PPDI) today announced that Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited issued a news release reporting that Takeda Global Research & Development Center, Inc., its wholly-owned U.S. subsidiary, has received a complete response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its new drug application (NDA) for alogliptin.[More...]

PPD Confirms Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development’s Completion of Additional Phase III Studies Providing Expanded Safety and Efficacy Data for Priligy®

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:52:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (NASDAQ:PPDI) today confirmed that Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development announced the completion of three additional Phase III studies using Priligy® (dapoxetine) for the treatment of premature ejaculation. The new studies increase the number of subjects in the Priligy clinical dataset to more than 6,000 patients, providing an expanded safety database and confirmed efficacy. Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development announced its intention to review the new dataset with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.[More...]

PPD Announces Takeda to Conduct Additional Study for Alogliptin MAA in the EU

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:52:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today confirmed that Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited has notified the European Medicines Agency, or EMEA, that it will postpone its marketing authorization applications (MAA) for alogliptin (SYR-322) and alogliptin/ACTOS (SYR-322-4833), originally planned for mid-2009, because it is initiating a long-term clinical trial for alogliptin.[More...]

PPD Increases Cash Dividend Rate for Fourth Consecutive Year; Declares Second Quarter Dividend

Tue, 26 May 2009 13:59:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced that its board of directors has amended the company's annual cash dividend policy to increase the annual dividend rate by 20 percent, from $0.50 to $0.60 per year, payable quarterly at a rate of $0.15 per share.
The record date for the second quarter dividend is June 15, 2009, and the payment date is June 29, 2009.
We remain fully focused on executing on behalf of our clients and driving long-term value for PPD shareholders."

[More...]

PPD Promotes Fred Eshelman to Executive Chairman; Ernest Mario Assumes Role of Lead Independent Director; PPD Names David Grange as New Chief Executive Officer

Tue, 19 May 2009 21:54:00 GMT

PPD, Inc. (Nasdaq: PPDI) today announced that its board of directors has promoted Fredric N. Eshelman, vice chairman and chief executive officer of PPD, to the newly created position of executive chairman of the board of directors. Ernest Mario, Ph.D., who has served as the non-executive chairman of the board of PPD since 1993, has been appointed lead independent director. PPD also announced that Brig. Gen. David L. Grange (retired), a member of PPD’s board of directors since 2003, has been named PPD’s new chief executive officer. Grange will report to Eshelman in his new capacity as executive chairman. These appointments will be effective July 1, 2009.[More...]