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Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP) appears massively over-valued and presents a clear and present risk to long investors. 1. Marijuana Hype Over-Played: GW Pharmaceuticals will derive no benefit from the nascent retail marijuana market opportunity in Colorado, Washington, and other legalizing states. 2. Corrupted Research: The purported research literature regarding marijuana plant-
derived cannabidiol (CBD) use in pediatric treatment-resistant epilepsy seems especially dubious because GW Pharmaceuticals has corrupted the objectivity of the authors by being their financial backers; it has failed to disclose this fact in SEC filings or investor materials. 3. Limited Intellectual Property & Pricing Power: Because GW Pharmaceuticals main
products are natural plant-derived extracts, they cannot be patented and there are basically no barriers to other firms extracting and selling the same biologicals. For example, just because orange juice is demonstrated to provide health a benefit doesnt mean that a company can earn outsized returns by selling concentrated Vitamin C. 4. Ridiculous Market Valuation: As of yesterdays close of $57.44/ADS, GW Pharmaceuticals is currently trading at a market capitalization of $1,098.5m, for a shocking valuation of 19.6x LTM revenue and 18.5x P/B despite barely being break-even on an operating cash flow basis since its reverse-merger formation in 2001. 5. Backdoor Listing onto NASDAQ: After completing a reverse-merger listing in 2001 to the London AIM exchange (equivalent to U.S. OTC market listing), GW Pharmaceuticals listed its American Depository Shares (ADS) on the NASDAQ on 05/01/13 as an emerging growth company under the relaxed regulatory requirements of the JOBS Act at only $8.90/ADS. 1 Report on GW Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP)
Infitialis Research Collective 6. Massive Shareholder Dilution: GW Pharmaceuticals has been serial issuer of equity, massively diluting its common shareholders since its listing without significant technological advancement or technology monetization. For example, GW Pharmaceuticals sold a 5.8% stake in the Company for $11.2mm in 2009 ($193mm implied enterprise valuation) to a private equity firm with a history of backing some rather dubious biotech offerings. 7. Egregious Insider Compensation: Annual management compensation has generally exceeded annual operating income since reverse-merger formation in 2001. Moreover, while public shareholders have been significantly diluted over GW Pharmaceuticals history as a public company, management and insider compensation has increased 205.9%. 8. Preposterous Sell-Side Analyst Cheerleading: Underwriters of GW Pharmaceuticals numerous equity market issuances have been relentless cheerleaders of the story since the single digit listing of the ADS last summer. As the ADS price has rocketed up 545% over the last 9 months since listing on the NASDAQ, the sell-side analysts have continually raised their price targets as prior estimates were blown through and utilized goal-seek financial models to justify their current estimates. Utilizing more realistic valuation assumptions, GW Pharmaceuticals intrinsic value appears to be in the teens per ADS even in the unlikely upside case that the proposed Epidiolex epilepsy treatment is a blockbusters success. Long investors in GW Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP) should immediately consider reducing the position as public dissemination of these significant concerns will likely lead to a massive correction in the Companys share price. Speculative investors should consider a short position in GW Pharmaceuticals as it appears massively overvalued on a fundamental basis at 19.6x LTM revenue and 18.5x P/B and the additional issues uncovered in this report will likely accelerate a significant pricing correction. Infitialis Research Collective Report Track Record
Infitialis Research Collective Report Track Record Ticker QWTR CHMR NVMN MLNX CLSR ZERO PRTN PWEI BNNY OSGIQ CYBX MJNA CP TTS Market OTCBB Halted by SEC OTCBB NASDAQ OTCBB - Ticker Changed to EXAD OTCBB OTCBB - Ticker Changed to ESSI Pink Sheet NASDAQ Pink Sheet NASDAQ OTCBB NYSE NASDAQ Recommendation SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT SHORT Publication 08/08/12 08/13/12 08/13/12 09/04/12 09/24/12 09/25/12 09/26/12 10/16/12 11/09/12 11/26/12 01/23/13 02/13/13 04/02/13 10/21/13 Price on Date $1.54 $1.83 $1.36 $119.00 $6.06 $1.89 $0.47 $0.69 $41.00 $0.91 $47.10 $0.47 $126.96 $25.61 Subsequent Low $0.11 $0.02 $0.03 $37.88 $1.00 $0.48 $0.0010 $0.00 $32.06 $0.63 $42.31 $0.11 $115.60 $10.05 Best Mean Median Worst % Decline -93% -99% -98% -68% -83% -75% -100% -100% -22% -31% -10% -77% -9% -61% -100% -66% -76% -9% As of 02/19/14 % to Current $0.18 -88% $0.02 -99% $0.03 -98% $37.88 -68% $1.00 -83% $0.95 -50% $0.0033 -99% $0.00 -100% $36.47 -11% $5.20 471% $72.51 54% $0.32 -32% $155.61 23% $13.07 -49% -100% -16% -59% 471%
GWs lead product, Sativex is now approved or recommended for approval in 24 minor countries, such as Norway, Israel, and Austria. It is indicated as a treatment for symptom improvement in patients with moderate to severe spasticity due to multiple sclerosis (MS) that have not responded adequately to other anti-spasticity medication. GW has now entered into five separate licensing agreements for Sativex with Bayer HealthCare in the UK and Canada; Almirall in Europe and Mexico; Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. in the United States; Novartis in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia; and Neopharm in Israel. Over the ~10 year history of Sativex production, GW has generally been operating at a cash flow loss due to limited sales of the product and expensive ongoing operating costs for the corporate entity. GWs other products, Epidiolex and the GWP4200x derivatives are seen by many long investors as providing upside opportunities and are currently beginning Phase III and II programs, respectively, for the potential treatment of Dravet Syndrome, a form of epilepsy particularly resistant to traditional pharmaceutical treatment regimes, and other ailments. 3 Report on GW Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP)
Prohibition in 1933, the businesses that prospered were the ex-bootlegger brewers such as Anheuser-Busch, not a pharmaceutical firm that was attempting to study the medical benefits of a daily glass of wine in the prevention of cardiac disease. Marijuanas Legalization Is Analogous to the Repeal of Prohibition Post-Prohibition Value Creation Unviable Business Strategy
Bootleggers
If you are an investor looking to benefit from the pending mass-market retail sales of marijuana, open a dispensary or hothouse/hydroponic grower, but dont buy GW Pharmaceuticals ADS based on a misguided understanding of the Companys core business. 4 Report on GW Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP)
Infitialis Research Collective Next, it is important to understand that medical research into potential uses of marijuanaderived cannabidiols has been ongoing for hundreds of years and has yet to be successfully monetized on a pharmaceutical scale. This makes it even harder to believe that a UK reversemerger pharmaceutical company with a limited scientific track record will be able to successfully develop and monetize novel uses of marijuana. Simply put, GW Pharmaceuticals research efforts show nothing new or special to warrant such a premium market valuation. For example, in 1842, Dr. William Brooke O'Shaughnessy, a Professor of Chemistry in the Medical College of Calcutta, published a paper describing the uses of marijuana to reduce infantile convulsions, hydrophobia, masseter spasm, and other afflictions. More recently, there have been four limited control independent trials to study the use of marijuana plant-derived cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy. Controlled Marijuana Plant-Derived Cannabidiol (CBD) Trials for Epilepsy Treatment Study Patients CBD Daily Dose Efficacy Safety Issues Mechoulam, 4 CBD 200mb CBD: 2 seizure free,1 No adverse 1978 5 Placebo improved, 1 unchanged events (PBO) PBO: unchanged Cunha, 7 CBD 200-300mg CBD: 4 seizure free No data 1980 8 PBO PBO: 1 seizure free No differences between Ames, 6 CBD 200mg Drowsiness CBD and placebo 1985 6 PBO No differences between Trembly, 6 CBD 300mg No data CBD and placebo 1990 6 PBO
Notably, the two most recent controlled independent trials to study the use of marijuana plant-derived cannabidiol (CBD) for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy showed NO difference in treatment efficacy between the CBD and placebo (sugar-pill) patients. Moreover, in the Ames trial, several of the CBD-treated patients suffered from adverse drowsiness (being stoned) that would prevent them from functioning normally on a daily basis, which further calls into question the viability of this purported potential treatment option. Finally, Dr. Orrin
Devinksy, Chairman of the NYU Epilepsy Center and leader in the study of cannabidiols,
Infitialis Research Collective recently wrote an Op-ed in the NY Times that cautioned about the risk of serious psychiatric disorders and long-term cognitive problems associated with marijuana treatments in children.
Acknowledgements section on the last page of the journal, it is disclosed that Dr. Catherine Jacobson, the corresponding author for the article, is actually funded by GW Pharmaceuticals, which presents a massive conflict of interest, and the disclosure fails to mention GWs sole business is the production of marijuana cannabidiols. plant-derived It is shocking
investors have been hoodwinked by such flimsily pseudo-science regarding Epidiolexs potential.
Infitialis Research Collective associated with marijuana treatments in children. For example, Ms. Paige Figi, a housewife with no prior scientific background, currently artisanally produces marijuana-derived CBD extract to for her daughter Charlotte at a cost of less than $800/month. Shockingly, the current product production competition for a $1bn market capitalization pharmaceutical company is a hippy housewife working out of her kitchen in Colorado. Dr. Sanjay Gupta has proven the ease and low cost of extracting CBD biologicals
With cost control and corresponding changes in treatment reimbursements as the mantra of the health care industry after the passage of the Affordable Care Act, it seems exceedingly difficult to believe GW Pharmaceuticals will ever be able to charge >$70k per patient for CBD-derived Epidiolex and capture prescriptions for >9k patients in the United States and a similar number abroad as currently estimated by sell-side equity analysts.
Infitialis Research Collective Preposterous Sell-side Pricing Power Assumptions for GW Pharmaceuticals
This financial model by an underwriter of GW Pharmaceuticals prolific equity market issuances seems to a prime example of goal-seek financial modeling were a sell-side financial analyst is forced to enter more and more ridiculous assumptions into excel in an attempt to justify the current market price the Companys ADS. For example, Infitialis challenges this sellside analyst to rationalize their forecast for a massive increase in the Epidiolex retail price from $40/k per patient per year in 2018 to $76k just four years later in 2022. In the unlikely event Epidiolex completes a successful Phase III trial, it seems likely United Health, CIGNA, and WellPoint would do everything in their oligopolistic power to avoid paying for marijuana prescriptions at this price point.
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merger listing on the London AIM exchange in 2001, common shares outstanding have increased 139.8% despite limited scientific advancement and de minimius monetization of the existing product portfolio. This poor capital planning has been highly dilutive to existing
shareholders and illustrates the management teams history of poor capital allocation decisions. GW Pharmaceuticals Shares Outstanding (1 ADS = 12 Common Shares)
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Infitialis Research Collective In 2009, after several years of Sativex sales and with basically the same product portfolio as currently under development, GW Pharmaceuticals sold a 5.8% stake in the Company for $11.2mm for an implied enterprise valuation of $193mm to Great Point Partners, LLC, a U.S. private equity firm, in an equity and warrants transaction structured by the infamous underwriters at Rodman & Renshaw, LLC. First, Great Point Partners, LLC appears to have a history of backing some rather dubious biotech offerings, such as Biodel, Inc. (NASDAQ: BIOD), which went from near triple digits to single digits in less than 18 months from its IPO in 2007. Great Point Partners had Board of Directors representation in Biodel and owned 13.7% of the shares outstanding prior to the firms public offering. Next, Rodman & Renshaw, LLC, the underwriter of the transaction, filed for liquidation on 09/12/12 following the collapse of a disturbing number of its issuer clients under allegations of accounting irregularities, embezzlement, and fraud. It appears quite curious that Rodman & Renshaws only AIM underwritten offering was for GW Pharmaceuticals. More recently, on 01/16/14, Great Point elected to exercise 50% of the warrants issued to the firm in August 2009 for a strike of 0.1p each. The exercise of these warrants further diluted common shareholders by 1,888,480 new ordinary shares and came at a significantly higher valuation than that which Great Point Partners had originally bought in. Finally, Great Point Partners, LLC now has until August of this year to exercise its remaining outstanding warrants for the additional issuance of 1,888,480 new ordinary shares for a strike of 0.1p each. Based on Great Point Partners prior presciently timed moves of selling out at the top, this seems to be further indication that GW Pharmaceuticals market valuation has reached its apex. 13 Report on GW Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP)
2012 Total 2013 Total Compensation Compensation $902,087 $855,671 $734,849 $696,983 $621,775 $500,485 $272,729 $593,427 $437,793 $374,807
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Infitialis Research Collective Initiating Coverage Note - Buy Because They Are British?
Initiating Coverage Note With $13 Original Price Target What Changed Since?
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Infitialis Research Collective Unlike the preposterous sell-side estimates presented on the previous pages, utilizing more realistic valuation assumptions for GW Pharmaceuticals implies an intrinsic in the teens even in the unlikely upside case the proposed Epidiolex epilepsy treatment is a blockbusters success. For example, a base case scenario at a 12% discount rate and utilizing the 19.1mm ADS currently outstanding under the treasury stock method for options/warrants/etc, GW
Pharmaceuticals intrinsic value is $14.75/ADS with a 50% probability of Epidiolex successfully being monetized by 2018. Illustrative GW Pharmaceuticals Sum of the Parts Analysis
Drug Sativex Sativex Sativex Sativex Epidiolex GWP42004 GPW42003 Proposed Indication MS - EU Cancer Pain - US Cancer Pain - EU MS - US Epilepsy - Global Diabetes Ulcerative Colitis Status Marketed Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 3 Phase 2 Phase 2 Estimated Launch Marketed 2016 2017 2017 2018 2019 2020 Probability of Potential Annual Sales Royalty, Profitability Success (USD$mm) % % -75% 75% 50% 50% 25% 25% -$500 $500 $100 $1,500 $750 $750 -25% 25% 25% 25% 25% 25% -90% 90% 90% 90% 90% 90% Probability Adj. NPV $25.0 $60.1 $53.6 $7.1 $95.8 $21.4 $19.1 $282.0 $/ADS $1.31 $3.14 $2.80 $0.37 $5.01 $1.12 $1.00 $14.75
Sum-of-Parts Total
In a bullish upside scenario with full credit for the Epidiolex revenue potential in 2018, the Companys intrinsic value is only $19.75/ADS. Conversely, under a bearish scenario were Epidiolex is not successfully monetized, GW Pharmaceuticals other potential products in the development pipeline only represent $9.74/ADS of intrinsic value and only a slight premium to the recent May listing on NASDAQ at $8.90/ADS. Because of GW Pharmaceuticals history of cash burn and poor allocation of capital funded by continued shareholder dilution, there seems to be significant downside between the current ADS market price and their fundamental intrinsic value.
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Conclusion
Long investors in GW Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: GWPH)(LSE AIM: GWP) should immediately consider reducing the position as public dissemination of these significant concerns will likely lead to a massive correction in the Companys shar e price. Speculative investors should consider a short position in GW Pharmaceuticals as it appears massively overvalued on a fundamental basis at 19.6x LTM revenue and 18.5x P/B and the additional issues uncovered in this report will likely accelerate a significant pricing correction. 1. Marijuana Hype Over-Played: GW Pharmaceuticals will derive no benefit from the nascent retail marijuana market opportunity in Colorado, Washington, and other legalizing states. 2. Corrupted Research: The purported research literature regardi ng marijuana plant-derived cannabidiol (CBD) use in pediatric treatment-resistant epilepsy seems especially dubious because GW Pharmaceuticals has corrupted the objectivity of the authors by being their financial backers; it has failed to disclose this critical fact in SEC filings or investor materials. 3. Limited Intellectual Property & Pricing Power: Because GW Pharmaceuticals main products are natural plant derived extracts, they cannot be patented and there are basically no barriers to other firms extracting and selling the same biologicals. For example, just because orange juice is demonstrated to provide health a benefit doesnt mean that a company can earn outsized returns by selling concentrated Vitamin C. 4. Ridiculous Market Valuation: As of yesterdays close of $57.44/ADS, GW Pharmaceuticals is currently trading at a market capitalization of $1,098.5m, for a shocking valuation of 19.6x LTM revenue and 18.5x P/B despite barely being break-even on an operating cash flow basis since its reverse-merger formation in 2001. 5. Backdoor Listing onto NASDAQ: After completing a reverse-merger listing in 2001 to the London AIM exchange (equivalent to U.S. OTC market listing), GW Pharmaceuticals listed its American Depository Shares (ADS) on the NASDAQ on 05/01/13 as an emerging growth company under the relaxed regulatory requirements of the JOBS Act at only $8.90/ADS. 6. Massive Shareholder Dilution: GW Pharmaceuticals has been serial issuer of equity, massively diluting its common shareholders since its listing without significant technological advancement or technology monetization. For example, GW Pharmaceuticals sold a 5.8% stake in the Company for $11.2mm in 2009 ($193mm implied enterprise valuation) to a private equity firm with a history of backing some rather dubious biotech offerings. 7. Egregious Insider Compensation: Annual management compensation has generally exceeded annual operating income since reverse-merger formation in 2001. Moreover, while public shareholders have been significantly diluted over GW Pharmaceuticals history as a public company, management and insider compensation has increased 205.9%. 8. Preposterous Sell-Side Analyst Cheerleading: Underwriters of GW Pharmaceuticals numerous equity market issuances have been relentless cheerleaders of the story since the single digit listing of the ADS last summer. As the ADS price has rocketed up 545% over the last 9 months since listing on the NASDAQ, the sell-side analysts have continually raised their price targets as prior estimates were blown through and utilized goal-seek financial models to justify their current estimates. Utilizing more realistic valuation assumptions, GW Pharmaceuticals intrinsic value appears to be in the teens even in the unlikely upside case that the proposed Epidiolex epilepsy treatment is a blockbusters success.
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Legal
All information contained herein is obtained by Infitialis Research Collective from sources believed by it to be accurate and reliable. However, such information is presented "as is," without warranty of any kind, and Infitialis Research Collective, in particular, makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, as to the accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of any such information or with regard to the results to be obtained from its use. All expressions of opinion are subject to change without notice, and Infitialis Research Collective does not undertake to update or supplement this report or any of the information contained herein. You should assume that Infitialis Research Collective and its affiliates enter into securities transactions which may include hedging strategies and buying and selling short the securities and derivatives related to the securities discussed in its reports before and after the time that Infitialis Research Collective issues a report. Infitialis Research Collective hereby discloses that its clients and we the Infitialis Research Collective, or our commodore, admirals, brigadiers, corporals, deputies, employees, field marshals, generals, high priests, investigators, junior deputies, komrades, mistresses, neighbors, and relatives, may now have and from time to time have, directly or indirectly, a long or short position in the securities discussed and derivatives related to the securities and may sell or buy such securities and derivatives related to the securities at any time. If you are in the United Kingdom, you confirm that you are subscribing and/or accessing Infitialis Research Collective materials and research on behalf of: (A) a high net worth entity (e.g., a company with net assets of GBP 5 million or a high value trust) falling within Article 49 of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the FPO); or (B) an investment professional (e.g., a financial insti tution, government or local authority, or international organization) falling within Article 19 of the FPO. This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any security, nor shall Infitialis Research Collective offer, sell or buy any security to or from any person through this site or reports on this site. Infitialis Research Collective is not registered as an investment advisor in any jurisdiction.
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