Weekly ASX small cap wrap: who’s flying and who’s falling
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Muscular Dystrophy researcher Antisense Therapeutics (ASX:ANP) went on a big run this week — and told the ASX it had no idea why.
The stock was up 177 per cent to 5c at week’s close. Though it traded as high as 9c — it’s highest point since February 2016.
Antisense has been focusing on Phase 2 clinical trial for a treatment for Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), a muscle-wasting disease that affects boys only — putting them in wheelchairs by their teens and cutting lives short in their 20s.
Viagra mouth spray maker Suda (ASX:SUD) also had to explain to the ASX why its stock shot up on Wednesday — and believes it was caused by Twitter activity.
The shares ended up 75 per cent at 0.7c for the week.
Suda pointed to tweets by Twitter users @Vontrader and @Treasurehunter comparing the stock to to HIV-fighting phenomenon Biotron (ASX:BIT) — which has jumped as much as 2000 per cent in recent weeks.
Biotron’s share price began to rocket after it announced positive clinical trial results for its HIV treatment.
“Neither Treasurhunter or Vontrader are related parties of the company,” Suda insisted.
Reckon this is as close as I could get ever to be a “celebrity” 😂. Ffs $SUD better go to at least 1c now, then i will be framed on wall of fame; otherwise it’s framed on a cross coming 🤞😂
— Treasurehunter (@ASXTreasurehunt) October 17, 2018
Biotron — a star of this column over the past few weeks — finished up 70 per cent at 29c for the week.
Not quite the $1 some punters were hoping for or even the 44.5c it touched on Tuesday. But still a very nice gain on the 2c it was fetching last month.
China-focused infant formula stock Jatenergy (ASX:JAT) has also been in recovery mode this week — and again it’s not clear why.
Jatenergy exploded last year, rocketing from 1c as high as 29c — but then fell back to earth as one of its infant formula suppliers was placed into receivership.
The shares were below 4c a week ago after they was suspended for failing to lodge an annual report. But after loding the report, they jumped back to 8.1c — a 113 per cent increase for the week.
In the September quarter JAT burned $5.5 million cash after banking $10.7 million in receipts — leaving $1.6 million in the kitty.
Planet Gas (ASX:PGS) climbed 67 per cent to 0.5c after off-loading its US business — and $US2.75 million debt owed to Macquarie Bank — to High Peak Royalties (ASX:HPR) for $1.
The sale included 3% royalties on 2000 oil-producing wells in Pennsylvania and New York state.
Planet Gas “continues to consider investment opportunities that may add shareholder value,” the company told investors.
Any acquisitions would require re-compliance with ASX listing rules.
eSense Labs (ASX:ESE) dropped back on Friday after almost tripling to 10c earlier in the week — and earning an ASX query.
But the stock finished the week up two-fold at 7c.
On Thursday eSense told investors the UK pilot deal for its lemon terpene liquid had made $US18,000 since March.
The ASX questioned when it started selling to the anonymous company after its share price surged 75 per cent.
Here are the best performing ASX small cap stocks for Oct 12-19:
Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort
ASX code | Company | One-week price change | Price Oct 19 | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
ANP | ANTISENSE THERAP | 1.77777777778 | 0.05 | 19.0M |
PPY | PAPYRUS AUSTRALI | 1.33333333333 | 0.014 | 3.2M |
MEM | MEMPHASYS | 1.13333333333 | 0.032 | 18.2M |
JAT | JATENERGY | 1.13157894737 | 0.081 | 50.1M |
RRS | RANGE RESOURCES | 1 | 0.002 | 8.5M |
NME | NEX METALS EXPLO | 1 | 0.01 | 1.9M |
LKO | LAKES OIL NL | 1 | 0.002 | 60.6M |
ESE | ESENSE-LAB | 1 | 0.07 | 8.1M |
LCT | LIVING CELL TECH | 0.966666666667 | 0.059 | 23.4M |
SHH | SHREE MINERALS L | 0.866666666667 | 0.028 | 4.8M |
TOM | TOMIZONE | 0.75 | 0.014 | 4.3M |
SUD | SUDA PHARMACEUTI | 0.75 | 0.007 | 18.1M |
AJJ | ASIAN AMERICAN M | 0.714285714286 | 0.12 | 40.5M |
BIT | BIOTRON | 0.705882352941 | 0.29 | 130.7M |
S3R | SERPENTINE TECHN | 0.666666666667 | 0.005 | 2.9M |
PGS | PLANET GAS | 0.666666666667 | 0.005 | 2.2M |
FRX | FLEXIROAM | 0.575 | 0.063 | 14.0M |
PCL | PANCONTINENTAL | 0.5 | 0.003 | 13.5M |
MTB | MOUNT BURGESS | 0.5 | 0.006 | 2.6M |
MRD | MOUNT RIDLEY MIN | 0.5 | 0.003 | 3.8M |
MOX | MONAX MINING | 0.5 | 0.003 | 1.8M |
BPH | BPH ENERGY | 0.5 | 0.003 | 1.0M |
AKN | AUKING MINING | 0.5 | 0.003 | 1.9M |
SCU | STEMCELL UNITED | 0.478260869565 | 0.034 | 14.9M |
NCR | NUCOAL RESOURCES | 0.428571428571 | 0.02 | 15.4M |
MRV | MORETON RESOURCE | 0.428571428571 | 0.01 | 31.0M |
SMX | SECURITY MATTERS | 0.4 | 0.28 | 25.4M |
PWN | PARKWAY MINERALS | 0.4 | 0.007 | 4.2M |
CDX | CARDIEX | 0.387096774194 | 0.043 | 20.8M |
SOR | STRATEGIC ELEMEN | 0.384615384615 | 0.054 | 9.6M |
POD | PODIUM MINERALS | 0.370967741935 | 0.085 | 8.1M |
TLX | TELIX PHARMA | 0.356643356643 | 0.97 | 182.6M |
PAA | PHARMAUST | 0.342857142857 | 0.047 | 10.1M |
PG1 | PEARL GLOBAL | 0.333333333333 | 0.2 | 29.0M |
ACL | ALCHEMIA | 0.333333333333 | 0.012 | 4.5M |
TNY | TINYBEANS GROUP | 0.333333333333 | 0.32 | 7.2M |
Retailer The Reject Shop (ASX:TRS) plunged 45 per cent this week after warning investors of a profit drop in the December half.
The discount store said it was now only expecting to make between $10 and $11 million profit after sales in the first 15 weeks fell into negative territory.
The stock finished the week at $2.46 — down from $4.47 on Tuesday.
The Reject Shop previously said it expected to report an FY19 net profit after tax that was “consistent with last year of $17.7m”.
The company blamed a deteriorating retail environment that worsened in September and October.
Meanwhile besieged uranium player Berkeley Energia (ASX:BKY) fell 45 per cent after struggling to respond to media reports that Spanish authorities would not authorise permits for its flagship Salamanca project near Madrid.
The news sent Berkeley’s share price spiralling from 47c to 28.5c this week.
Here are the worst performing ASX small cap stocks for Oct 12-19:
Swipe or scroll to reveal full table. Click headings to sort
ASX code | Company | One-week price change | Price Oct 19 | Market Cap |
---|---|---|---|---|
TRS | REJECT SHOP | -0.453333333333 | 2.46 | 76.0M |
BKY | BERKELEY ENERGIA | -0.446601941748 | 0.285 | 71.1M |
CSE | COPPER STRIKE | -0.354838709677 | 0.1 | 10.7M |
HHM | HAMPTON HILL MNG | -0.346153846154 | 0.017 | 5.0M |
TNP | TRIPLE ENERGY | -0.333333333333 | 0.018 | 870.4k |
SBU | SIBURAN RESOURCE | -0.333333333333 | 0.002 | 2.1M |
AHN | ATHENA RESOURCES | -0.333333333333 | 0.01 | 2.2M |
SPB | SOUTH PACIFIC RE | -0.285714285714 | 0.005 | 827.6k |
SI6 | SIX SIGMA METALS | -0.285714285714 | 0.005 | 2.7M |
MHJ | MICHAEL HILL INT | -0.285714285714 | 0.65 | 263.5M |
LHM | LAND & HOMES GRO | -0.28 | 0.018 | 18.9M |
OEL | OTTO ENERGY | -0.277108433735 | 0.06 | 114.1M |
FHS | FREEHILL MINING | -0.25 | 0.018 | 7.3M |
MNC | METMINCO | -0.25 | 0.003 | 3.1M |
AO1 | ASSETOWL | -0.235294117647 | 0.026 | 2.9M |
GSN | GREAT SOUTHERN M | -0.234042553191 | 0.036 | 11.1M |
ZYB | ZYBER HOLDINGS L | -0.230769230769 | 0.01 | 6.5M |
AAP | AUSTRALIAN AGRIC | -0.230769230769 | 0.02 | 3.0M |
PGI | PANTERRA GOLD | -0.212121212121 | 0.026 | 2.6M |
ANW | AUS TIN MINING L | -0.208333333333 | 0.019 | 41.5M |
IHR | INTELLIHR HOLDIN | -0.205882352941 | 0.135 | 17.8M |
GRV | GREENVALE ENERGY | -0.2 | 0.02 | 1.9M |
TYK | TYCHEAN RESOURCE | -0.2 | 0.004 | 2.3M |
SER | STRATEGIC ENERGY | -0.2 | 0.004 | 3.5M |
RNX | RENEGADE EXPLORA | -0.2 | 0.004 | 2.9M |
MSE | METALSEARCH | -0.2 | 0.008 | 4.8M |
LRS | LATIN RESOURCES | -0.2 | 0.004 | 14.1M |
EER | EAST ENERGY RESO | -0.2 | 0.004 | 12.8M |
BUY | BOUNTY OIL & GAS | -0.2 | 0.004 | 3.8M |
AGE | ALLIGATOR ENERGY | -0.2 | 0.004 | 4.0M |