What's Driving Twist Bioscience Corp's Surprising 89% Stock Rally?

Twist Bioscience Corp (TWST, Financial) has experienced a remarkable surge in its stock price, with a 35.79% gain over the past week and an 88.69% increase over the past three months. The company's market capitalization now stands at $2.21 billion, with the current stock price at $38.36. Despite the impressive recent performance, the GF Value suggests caution, labeling the stock as a Possible Value Trap and advising investors to think twice before making a move. The GF Value, which was previously $80.4, has been adjusted to $59.97, reflecting a change in the stock's intrinsic value assessment.

Overview of Twist Bioscience Corp

Twist Bioscience Corp operates within the Medical Diagnostics & Research industry, focusing on the development of a synthetic DNA synthesis platform. This innovative technology is designed to industrialize the engineering of biology, offering a faster and more cost-effective method for producing high-quality synthetic DNA. The company's approach, which synthesizes DNA on silicon rather than traditional plastic plates, aims to revolutionize the field and accelerate research opportunities. The majority of Twist Bioscience's revenue is generated in the United States. 1737475925970317312.png

Assessing Profitability

Twist Bioscience's Profitability Rank is currently at a low 2 out of 10, indicating significant challenges in this area. The company's Operating Margin stands at a concerning -84.41%, which, while better than 27.31% of 227 companies in the industry, highlights operational inefficiencies. The Return on Equity (ROE) and Return on Assets (ROA) are also in the negative territory, at -29.06% and -23.73% respectively. These figures suggest that the company is struggling to generate profits from its equity and assets. Additionally, the Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is at -48.81%, indicating that the company's cash flow relative to its invested capital is also underwhelming.

Growth Prospects and Industry Standing

Despite the profitability concerns, Twist Bioscience holds a Growth Rank of 7 out of 10, showcasing strong growth potential. The company's 3-Year Revenue Growth Rate per Share is an impressive 23.30%, outperforming 74.5% of 200 companies in the industry. The 5-Year Revenue Growth Rate per Share is even more remarkable at 31.70%, surpassing 80.95% of 168 companies. However, the 3-Year and 5-Year EPS without NRI Growth Rates are negative, at -3.10% and -4.70% respectively, indicating challenges in sustaining earnings growth.

Notable Shareholders

Twist Bioscience has attracted the attention of several prominent investors. Catherine Wood (Trades, Portfolio) holds the largest stake with 6,785,983 shares, accounting for 11.82% of the company's shares. Baillie Gifford (Trades, Portfolio) follows with 1,268,295 shares, representing 2.21% of the share percentage. Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio), although holding a smaller stake of 42,598 shares, still shows confidence in the company with a 0.07% share percentage.

Competitive Landscape

In comparison to its competitors, Twist Bioscience stands out with its $2.21 billion market cap. OPKO Health Inc (OPK, Financial) has a market cap of $1.25 billion, Fulgent Genetics Inc (FLGT, Financial) is valued at $859.299 million, and Myriad Genetics Inc (MYGN, Financial) holds a market cap of $1.91 billion. These figures place Twist Bioscience at the higher end of the market capitalization spectrum within its industry peers.

Concluding Insights

The recent stock performance of Twist Bioscience Corp has been nothing short of extraordinary, with significant gains over the past week and three months. However, the GF Value warns of a possible value trap, urging investors to exercise caution. While the company's growth metrics are strong, profitability remains a concern, with several key financial ratios in the negative. The company's market position is solid, with a high market cap relative to its competitors, and it has garnered the interest of notable investors. Ultimately, while Twist Bioscience's growth prospects appear promising, the competitive standing and financial health of the company suggest a more nuanced investment decision may be required.

This article, generated by GuruFocus, is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice. Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections, utilizing an impartial methodology, and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance. It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances. Our objective is to deliver long-term, fundamental data-driven analysis. Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent, price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information. GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein.

Disclosures

I/We may personally own shares in some of the companies mentioned above. However, those positions are not material to either the company or to my/our portfolios.