ACIU Stock Crashes 18.3% in a Month: Buy, Sell or Hold?

Core Viewpoint - AC Immune (ACIU) has underperformed the industry, sector, and S&P 500 Index, with shares declining by 18.3% over the past month despite better-than-expected fourth-quarter results [1][4]. Company Overview - AC Immune is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Switzerland, focusing on developing drugs for neurodegenerative diseases using its proprietary technology platforms, SupraAntigen and Morphomer [5]. Pipeline Development - The company is advancing multiple therapeutic and diagnostic programs targeting misfolded proteins associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and other neurodegenerative disorders [5]. - Key candidates include: - ACI-24.060, an anti-Abeta immunotherapy for AD, currently in phase Ib/II ABATE study [6]. - ACI-7104.056, targeting pathological a-syn, in phase II study (VacSYn) [7]. - ACI-35.030/JNJ-2056, evaluated in preclinical AD in phase IIb ReTain study [7]. - P2620, a Tau-PET imaging agent in late-stage clinical development for AD [8]. Collaborations and Funding - AC Immune has secured strategic collaborations with major pharmaceutical companies, including an exclusive agreement with Takeda for its active immunotherapies, receiving an upfront payment of $100 million and potential total payments of up to$2.1 billion [9][10]. - Collaboration with Janssen Pharmaceuticals has also led to milestone payments due to rapid prescreening in the ReTain trial [11]. Financial Position - As of December 31, 2024, AC Immune reported cash resources of CHF 165.5 million, expected to sustain operations through the first quarter of 2027, assuming no additional milestones are met [12]. Valuation Metrics - ACIU shares are currently trading at a price/sales ratio of 6.15x, which is above its historical mean of 5.30x and the industry average of 1.70x [13]. Earnings Estimates - The loss per share estimate for 2025 has increased to 49 cents over the past 30 days, indicating a downward revision trend [14][15]. Market Outlook - The market for neurodegenerative diseases is anticipated to grow significantly, with potential positive data readouts for key candidates expected to enhance investor sentiment [8][16].