Use broad stock screens to uncover underfollowed small-cap opportunities, then research business quality and valuation before investing; past gains alone are not a buy signal. Treat the cited leaders—including MRNA, NLST, SNDK, and TWST—as research candidates, not recommendations, since their quoted gains are historical and undated. Don’t buy steep decliners such as BYND, OPEN, or TTD solely because they have fallen, and avoid shorting them without a well-supported thesis.

Broad stock-screening strategy

• Shkreli’s central point was to look beyond familiar large companies and systematically review a much broader universe of stocks. He cited roughly 8,000 U.S.-listed companies and argued that less-followed companies may include future high performers.
• He suggested focusing attention on small-cap stocks, while emphasizing that finding promising companies takes research: a stock’s rise alone does not show whether its business is strong or its valuation is reasonable.
• The discussion framed the goal as identifying companies that could outperform—not as a promise of finding a 100x stock. Shkreli noted that investors will make mistakes, and that even a sound process can produce losing picks.

Takeaways

• Use broad screening to find unfamiliar companies, then investigate their businesses and prospects rather than buying based only on a strong past return.
• Treat small-cap and high-return screens as a source of research ideas, not as buy lists. The speakers repeatedly noted that some companies on the lists may be “dogs” or hard to assess.

Stocks cited as year-to-date leaders

• The speakers described these as among the market’s strongest year-to-date performers at the time of the conversation; the transcript does not provide a date. These returns are historical observations, not forecasts:
  • Share in AI — approximately +1,000%; the company name is unclear in the transcript.
  • Moderna (MRNA) — approximately +700%.
  • Netlist (NLST) — approximately +600%.
  • SanDisk (SNDK) — approximately +400%.
  • Twist Bioscience (TWST) — approximately +300%.
  • 10x Genomics (TXG), AN2 Therapeutics (ANTX), Iovance Biotherapeutics (IOVA), and Micron Technology (MU) were also cited among stocks with large gains; no specific return was given for each.
• The speakers observed that many of the prominent gainers were in healthcare, biotechnology, or technology. They also cautioned that strong performance alone does not establish a good investment.
• Other names mentioned while reviewing the performance screen included AXT (AXTI), MaxLinear (MXL), ImmunityBio (IBRX), Spire Global (SPIR), Quantum Corporation (QMCO), Q32 Bio (QTTB), Rackspace Technology (RXT), American Well (AMWL), OmniAb (OABI), SELLAS Life Sciences (SLS), and The Cheesecake Factory (CAKE). The transcript gave no specific investment thesis for these examples.

Takeaways

• The discussion offers a research-screening approach, not endorsements of the named companies. Check each company’s business and fundamentals before drawing conclusions from its share-price performance.
• The speakers specifically warned against assuming that a stock is attractive just because it has risen, or that every unfamiliar small-cap is a hidden winner.

Stocks cited as year-to-date decliners

• The speakers used these companies as examples from a steep-decliner screen. Returns are approximate figures quoted in the conversation, with no episode date provided:
  • Capricor Therapeutics (CAPR) — approximately -75%.
  • Shutterstock (SSTK) and Newegg Commerce (NEGG) — approximately -77% and -80%, respectively.
  • Beyond Meat (BYND) — approximately -70%.
  • Opendoor Technologies (OPEN) — approximately -67%.
  • The Trade Desk (TTD) — approximately -67%.
  • AppLovin (APP) — apparently the company referred to as “Apple Oven” in the transcript; approximately -65%.
  • Oklo (OKLO) — approximately -65%.
  • Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Humacyte (HUMA) — approximately -60%.
  • D-Wave Quantum (QBTS) — approximately -59%.
  • Reddit (RDDT) — approximately -59%.
• Compass Therapeutics (CMPX) and Compass Pathways (CMPS) were discussed while clarifying that they are separate companies. The speakers also mentioned AT&T (T) but did not give a clear performance figure for it.
• Shkreli said he would not want these steep decliners on a long list. He also warned that shorting a stock that later rises sharply can go badly, pointing to his own past short position in one company on the gainers list.

Takeaways

• A large decline is a prompt for research, not proof that a stock is a bargain or a short candidate.
• The conversation highlights two-sided risk: a company can disappoint, but a short position can also lose money if the stock rebounds.

Other company mentions

• Apple (AAPL) and Starbucks (SBUX) appeared in a quiz about recognizing large companies; neither was discussed as an investment idea.
• Western Digital (WDC) and Glaukos (GKOS) were described as examples of companies that had attracted less attention before doing well. Shkreli noted that Western Digital was an older company that had received renewed investor interest, while Glaukos was presented as an off-the-beaten-path example.
• AMD (AMD), Humana (HUM), Centene (CNC), Analog Devices (ADI), and Backblaze (BLZE) were also named during the screen review, without a specific thesis or recommendation.

Takeaways

• The conversation’s practical emphasis is on repeatedly expanding the set of companies under review, rather than concentrating only on familiar names.
• No specific price targets, future return forecasts, or holding timelines were provided.