8/15/25 +46% record high! PGEN, Scorpion SLNO short
8/15/25 +46% record high! PGEN, Scorpion SLNO short
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

Consider an investment in Reddit (RDDT), which is showing explosive revenue growth and improving profitability with the potential to double from current levels. Precigen (PGEN) is another long opportunity following its early FDA approval, with a potential 5x return if its new drug is commercialized successfully. On the short side, Newegg (NEGG) is a high-conviction bearish bet, with a potential price target of $70 if it continues its decline. Other potential shorts include quantum computing firm D-Wave (QBTS) and aviation company Joby (JOBY), which are seen as fundamentally weak. Investors should avoid UnitedHealth (UNH) as it appears fairly valued with no clear edge for new buyers.

Detailed Analysis

Precigen (PGEN)

  • The speaker was long PGEN and the stock experienced a significant price increase (up 47%) due to a surprise early FDA approval.
  • He is considering holding the position and potentially buying more, noting it's "still a little too attractive to sell" even after the run-up.
  • He mentions the company will likely need to raise capital soon as they don't have much cash.
  • There is significant upside potential mentioned: if the company prices its new drug at $500,000, it could become a $500 million drug, representing a potential 5x return from its current valuation.
  • The speaker cautions listeners that just because he is long a stock, they should not blindly follow. He stresses the importance of doing their own homework.

Takeaways

  • Bullish Sentiment: The speaker is bullish on PGEN following its early FDA approval, seeing significant long-term revenue potential.
  • Potential Catalyst: The key catalyst ahead is the successful commercialization and pricing of their newly approved drug. A high price point could lead to substantial revenue.
  • Risk Factor: The company will need to commercialize the drug and is expected to raise capital (issue more shares), which could temporarily dilute existing shareholders.

Soleno Therapeutics (SLNO)

  • A well-known short-selling firm, Scorpion Capital, released a detailed short report on SLNO, calling it a "scam."
  • The speaker analyzes the report, noting it is very thorough work. Key concerns raised in the report include:
    • Safety concerns and potential side effects.
    • A lack of an FDA Cedar review, which the speaker finds "scary" and "weird."
    • Weak intellectual property (IP), suggesting the company may only have about seven years of market exclusivity.
  • Despite the negative report, the speaker notes a significant mitigating factor: a key doctor who is a major champion for the drug is responsible for a large number of potential patients. This doctor's support alone could generate $250 million in revenue.
  • The speaker finds the stock "tricky" and does not initiate a short position, suggesting the outcome is uncertain.

Takeaways

  • Neutral/Mixed Sentiment: This is a "battleground" stock with a strong bull case (doctor support, potential revenue) and a strong bear case (detailed short report, safety/IP concerns).
  • High Risk/Volatility: The stock is likely to be extremely volatile. The success of the launch versus the concerns in the short report will determine its direction.
  • Key Factor to Watch: Monitor the initial sales and launch of the drug. Strong adoption, particularly from the key opinion leader mentioned, could invalidate the short thesis. Conversely, a weak launch or safety issues could prove the report correct.

Newegg Commerce (NEGG)

  • The speaker is short NEGG and considers it a "meme stock" whose valuation is disconnected from its fundamentals. He refers to the company as "where you bought a cheap GPU 10 years ago."
  • He successfully traded the short, covering about 20% of his position for a significant profit as the stock dropped 14% on the day of the podcast.
  • He believes the stock will continue to fall, stating that covering was likely a mistake because "once it starts falling it... just keeps going down."
  • He provides a technical analysis target, noting there is a "gap" in the chart at $88. He believes if it breaks below that level, it could go "straight to $70" and that a price of $50 is possible in a best-case scenario for the company.

Takeaways

  • Bearish Sentiment: The speaker is highly bearish on NEGG, viewing it as a fundamentally weak business with an inflated, meme-driven stock price.
  • Short Opportunity: The speaker believes NEGG is a good short candidate, expecting the price to fall significantly further.
  • Price Levels to Watch: Key technical levels mentioned are $88 and $70. A break below these levels could signal further, rapid declines.

Reddit (RDDT)

  • The speaker performs a deep dive on RDDT and is extremely impressed, expressing regret for having missed the investment opportunity.
  • He highlights "stunning revenue growth" that is accelerating, with revenue nearly doubling year-over-year. He calls the growth "magic" and "better than Palantir."
  • He is also impressed by the company's cost controls and the fact that it is now cash flow positive from operations.
  • He calls it an "absolute beast of a company" and believes it could still double from here if the growth trajectory continues.

Takeaways

  • Very Bullish Sentiment: The speaker is extremely bullish on RDDT due to its explosive, accelerating revenue growth and improving profitability.
  • Growth Stock: RDDT is presented as a high-growth technology company that has successfully turned around its business and is executing exceptionally well.
  • Hidden in Plain Sight: This is an example of a well-known company whose strong financial performance may have been overlooked by the market until recently.

UnitedHealth Group (UNH)

  • The speaker performs a "sum-of-the-parts" analysis, breaking UNH down into its various business segments (Optum Health, Optum Insight, Optum Rx, and the core insurance business).
  • His conclusion is that the company is fairly valued at its current price. He notes how efficient the market is, as his back-of-the-envelope valuation landed very close to the actual market cap.
  • He views UNH as a value company, not a growth company, and believes its valuation multiple got "a little out of hand" previously. He would not pay more than 5 to 10 times earnings for the core managed care business.
  • He mentions that one of Warren Buffett's lieutenants recently bought the stock, but he is "not sure I would be chasing that one."

Takeaways

  • Neutral Sentiment: The speaker sees UNH as fairly valued and not a compelling investment at current prices. It is neither overvalued nor undervalued in his view.
  • Stay Away: The primary takeaway is to "stay away" as there doesn't appear to be a significant edge or mispricing to exploit.
  • Value, Not Growth: Investors should view UNH as a mature, low-growth value company, not a high-growth tech company, and value it accordingly.

Quantum Computing Sector (D-Wave, IonQ)

  • The speaker is very bearish on the quantum computing sector, specifically mentioning his short positions.
  • D-Wave Quantum (QBTS): This is his second biggest short position and one of his portfolio's biggest losers to date. He calls it a "disaster" and mentions a report showing that a Fujitsu digital annealer outperforms D-Wave's machine.
  • IonQ (IONQ): He is also short IONQ and mentions it as a stock that has been targeted by short-sellers in the past.

Takeaways

  • Bearish Sentiment: The speaker is actively shorting quantum computing stocks like QBTS and IONQ, believing they are overhyped and underperforming.
  • Competitive Risk: A key risk for these companies is that other technologies (like Fujitsu's) may already be outperforming their quantum systems, undermining their value proposition.
  • High-Risk Shorts: While the sentiment is bearish, these have been volatile stocks. The speaker notes that his short positions in this sector have been painful, highlighting the risk involved.

Joby Aviation (JOBY)

  • The speaker expresses a strong desire to short JOBY, calling the company "straight junk."
  • He finds it amusing that the stock rose on news that "their product works," suggesting that this should be a basic expectation, not a positive catalyst.
  • He later notes that the stock reversed its gains, which he views as a bearish technical signal.

Takeaways

  • Very Bearish Sentiment: The speaker views JOBY as a poor-quality company and a prime short candidate.
  • Questionable Catalysts: Be wary of positive price movements based on what should be considered standard operational progress. A reversal after such news can be a sign of underlying weakness.
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stocks, stock market, investing, value investing
About Martin Shkreli
Martin Shkreli

Martin Shkreli

By @realmartinshkreli

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