AMN Healthcare stock hits 52-week low at $18.56 amid market shifts

 In a challenging market environment, AMN Healthcare Services Inc (NYSE:AMN). stock has reached a 52-week low, touching down at $18.56. This significant downturn reflects a broader trend for the healthcare staffing provider, which has seen its shares plummet over the past year. While the company faces near-term headwinds with analysts expecting sales decline this year, net income is projected to grow and the stock shows a strong free cash flow yield. Investors have witnessed a stark decrease in value, with AMN's stock experiencing a 1-year change of -66.41%, indicating substantial volatility and a bearish outlook from market participants. This latest price level could prompt discussions on the company's future prospects and potential as an investment opportunity amidst the current economic landscape.

In other recent news, AMN Healthcare reported fourth-quarter revenues of $734.7 million, marking a 10% year-over-year decline. However, this figure exceeded both JMP Securities' projection of $691.0 million and the consensus estimate of $694.4 million. The company's adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $75.1 million, a 28% decrease from the previous year, yet it surpassed both JMP's and consensus estimates of $64.9 million. JMP Securities subsequently adjusted its price target for AMN Healthcare to $33, maintaining a Market Outperform rating. UBS also maintained a Neutral rating with a $30 price target, highlighting the company's focus on debt reduction in 2025. Meanwhile, Benchmark continued its Hold rating, noting improved stability in AMN's business units and better-than-expected fourth-quarter results due to strike revenue. Despite the challenges, AMN Healthcare's management remains optimistic about future trends, with expectations of positive sequential trends in the latter half of 2025. These developments reflect the ongoing dynamics in the healthcare staffing sector as AMN Healthcare navigates industry challenges.

https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/amn-healthcare-stock-hits-52week-low-at-1856-amid-market-shifts-93CH-3981771

IQ-AI reports early success in glioblastoma study

 IQ-AI Limited has announced promising preliminary results from a Phase 1 clinical trial conducted by its subsidiary, Imaging Biometrics LLC, involving a novel treatment for recurrent/refractory glioblastoma. The oral agent, Gallium Maltolate (GaM), administered daily, has shown signs of efficacy in patients, with no serious adverse events reported.

The trial, which is close to completing its enrollment phase, has 23 subjects with evaluable data. These patients have demonstrated an overall survival (OS) of 32 months from initial diagnosis, compared to the typical OS of 8-9 months for all glioblastoma patients, and up to 20 months for those undergoing redo surgeries. Notably, 19 of the evaluable subjects in this study underwent redo surgeries.

The data suggests that overall survival is 14 months from the start of GaM treatment. This is a positive indication of the treatment's potential anti-tumor activity, according to Trevor Brown, CEO of IQAI. However, he emphasized that the data is preliminary and that further research is necessary.

While progression-free survival (PFS) for the trial participants was reported at 2 months, which aligns with the current standard therapy PFS of 1-2 months for recurrent glioblastoma, the patients may have experienced benefits from disease stability, as indicated by their extended OS.

The trial also explores more accurate ways to assess PFS through advanced quantitative imaging, like the FTB maps provided by Imaging Biometrics, which may offer further insights into the treatment's effectiveness.

The promising early results of this Phase 1 study are based on a press release statement from IQ-AI Limited. As the trial progresses, more comprehensive data will be required to validate the efficacy and safety of oral GaM for glioblastoma patients.

https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/iqai-reports-early-success-in-glioblastoma-study-93CH-3981777

Future Pak submits proposals to acquire Theratechnologies

 Future Pak announced that it has submitted two formal proposals since January to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Theratechnologies (THTX). The most recent proposal, which remains open for consideration by Theratechnologies and its Board of Directors, offers a cash consideration of $3.51-$4.50 per share. The proposal represents a total enterprise value of up to $255M, comprising: $205 million in cash at closing, and Up to $50 million in contingent value right payments, including: 50% of the annual EGRIFTA(R) franchise gross profit above $30 million annually for three years post-closing. A $10 million one-time milestone payment if cumulative EGRIFTA gross profit exceeds $125 million over the same three-year period. This offer implies a 164% to 238% premium to Theratechnologies’ closing stock price of $1.33 as of April 10, 2025. “To move this process forward efficiently and deliver compelling value to Theratechnologies’ shareholders, we have submitted multiple offers outlining a flexible and attractive framework,” said Nirav Patel, Chief Growth Officer at Future Pak. “We believe this proposal provides significant upside and a solid foundation for constructive dialogue, with the goal of achieving a mutually beneficial transaction.” Despite repeated outreach and the submission of two detailed proposals-each offering a premium of more than 100% over Theratechnologies’ trading price-Future Pak has received minimal engagement from the company to date. Future Pak confirms that the transaction would not be subject to a financing contingency and has the full support of its strategic financial partner, Colbeck Capital Management. Future Pak has engaged Bourne Partners Securities LLC as financial advisor and Honigman LLP as legal advisor. Given access to standard due diligence materials, Future Pak believes it could reach a definitive agreement and announce a transaction within four to six weeks.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/future-pak-submits-proposals-acquire-140029355.html

What to watch during the 1Q 2025 earnings season

 The first-quarter 2025 earnings season kicks off this week, with Goldman Sachs strategists flagging key trends for investors to monitor.

The Wall Street giant projects that the S&P 500 earnings per share (EPS) will see a growth of 3% in 2025 and 6% in 2026. These figures fall below the top-down strategist consensus, which predicts a 10% increase for 2025 and a 9% increase for 2026, and also trail the bottom-up consensus of equity analysts who expect a 9% and 14% rise, respectively.

Despite the market’s sharp sell-off in response to recent tariff announcements and concerns over the global economy, consensus earnings estimates have remained relatively stable, with just a 2% decline year to date.

During that period, the S&P 500 index tumbled as much as 14%, with the bulk of that decline coming after the tariff announcements on April 2nd.

Goldman Sachs projects that the S&P 500 profit margins will experience minimal expansion, contradicting consensus estimates which forecast margins to rise above 12% this year, setting a new record.

“In a downside scenario, the typical magnitude of contraction during past recessions would indicate an S&P 500 EPS decline of 13%,” strategists led by David J. Kostin said in a note.

The first-quarter earnings season, starting next week, is expected to be a critical period for investors seeking insights into corporate profits and economic activity.

Wall Street analysts predict a 6% year-over-year growth in first-quarter S&P 500 EPS, which is a more attainable target compared to previous quarters and is down from an 11% growth expectation earlier in the year.

The majority of companies, 87%, are scheduled to report their earnings between April 11th and May 9th.

Goldman Sachs also expects that during this earnings season, fewer companies than usual will provide forward guidance for the second quarter and the full year. Historically, 20% of companies offer quarter-ahead guidance during earnings calls, while 43% provide full-year guidance.

“In the absence of guidance, investors should monitor sales revisions to gauge the demand outlook and capex revisions to assess the trajectory of corporate investment spending,” the strategists continued.

Furthermore, the strategists expect that rising tariff rates will compel many companies to either increase prices or accept reduced profit margins.

They forecast negative revisions to consensus profit margin estimates in the upcoming quarters, putting a premium on companies with strong pricing power.

According to their analysis, stocks with robust pricing power have consistently outperformed their peers, particularly during the trade conflicts of 2018-2019 and again this year.

Goldman Sachs believes that the equity market is likely to remain volatile, with medium-term risks skewed to the downside as long as the risk of recession remains high.

This assessment comes in the wake of this week’s market volatility, with their Sentiment Indicator registering at -2.5, which has historically indicated a potential near-term trading opportunity.

However, the bank cautions that the market may not yet be pricing in a recession, and past experiences such as in 2022 show that markets can continue to decline amidst deteriorating fundamentals.

https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/what-to-watch-during-the-1q-2025-earnings-season-3976819

US Commerce Secretary says exempted electronic products to come under separate tariffs

 U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said on Sunday in an interview with ABC's "This Week" that smartphones, computers and some other electronics will come under separate tariffs, along with semiconductors that may be imposed in a month or so.

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration late on Friday granted exclusions from steep tariffs on such products, imported largely from China, providing a big break to tech firms like Apple that rely on imported products.

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/money/topstories/us-commerce-secretary-says-exempted-electronic-products-to-come-under-separate-tariffs/ar-AA1CPHQG

Trump in excellent health, White House doctor says following physical

U.S. President Donald Trump remains in excellent health, White House physician Captain Sean Barbella said in a report released on Sunday, two days after he underwent a routine physical on Friday.



The report is the most detailed information on the health of Trump, 78, since he returned to the White House in January as the oldest person to assume the U.S. presidency.


"President Trump exhibits excellent cognitive and physical health and is fully fit to execute the duties of the Commander-in-Chief and Head of State," Barbella wrote in his report.

https://www.aol.com/news/trump-excellent-health-white-house-142221871.html

Astrazeneca pill that can slow breast cancer cleared for NHS use

 AstraZeneca's oral therapy Truqap will soon be available for people with advanced breast cancer via the NHS in England – as long as testing is available to identify eligible patients.

AKT inhibitor Truqap (capivasertib) has been available in U.S. since November 2023. It was cleared by NICE for use in combination with standard therapy fulvestrant for HR-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer that also has one or more PIK3CA, AKT1, or PTEN mutations.

The health technology assessment (HTA) agency turned down the drug in earlier guidance published in January, citing uncertainties over its cost-effectiveness and the lack of comparison with therapies based on mTOR inhibitor everolimus and Novartis' oral PI3K inhibitor Piqray (alpelisib).

NICE said it was "pleased the company has worked with us so that we are able to recommend this promising new treatment as a good use of NHS resources and value for money for taxpayers."

Truqap can be used in patients whose disease has progressed despite prior endocrine therapy with a CDK 4/6 inhibitor and an aromatase inhibitor, according to a newly published guidance document.

Mutations in PIK3CA, AKT1, and alterations in PTEN occur frequently, affecting up to 50% of patients with advanced HR-positive breast cancer, but at the moment, genetic testing for those mutations isn't widespread, so a key objective will be to encourage screening.

Truqap was approved in the UK in July 2024 based on the 708-subject CAPItello-291 study, which included 289 patients with tumours that had an abnormal PIK3CA, AKT1 or PTEN gene. Results of the study showed that the combination of the drug and fulvestrant reduced the risk of disease progression or death compared to fulvestrant plus placebo.

Patients given Truqap experienced an average 7.3 months with the cancer not progressing versus 3.1 months for patients in the control group.

"We're delighted that NICE has recommended capivasertib with fulvestrant for use on the NHS in England, offering certain people with incurable secondary breast cancer the hope of more precious time to do what matters most to them before the disease progresses," said Claire Rowney, chief executive at Breast Cancer Now.

However, "we shouldn't overlook the fact that its initial provisional rejection meant patients have faced unnecessary delays in accessing it," she added, while calling on the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) to also complete a review of the treatment speedily.

Delays of this type "happen too often and urgent action must be taken to ensure the quick approval of breast cancer drugs so they can be made available promptly to those who need them. NHS England must now put in place prompt genetic testing to ensure those eligible receive capivasertib without further delay."

https://pharmaphorum.com/news/pill-can-slow-breast-cancer-cleared-nhs-use