We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Penny Stocks to Buy for 2025.In this article, we are going to take a look at where Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) stands against the other penny stocks.
The US stock market has been on a roll owing to a powerful rally in the technology sector. The S&P 500 has gained more than 23%, driven by gains in mega-cap stocks amid the artificial intelligence frenzy. Likewise, the gains have come amid a resilient US economy that has steered clear of recession. Improving monetary policy outlook on the US Federal Reserve cutting interest rate has also strengthened investor sentiments on equities.
While small-cap stocks have lagged behind the overall market, they are drawing special attention as most appear to be trading at highly discounted valuations. Often considered speculative investments due to their low price point and smaller market presence, penny stocks are turning out to be attractive investment plays heading into 2025.
According to VettaFi’s Todd Rosenbluth, 2025 could be the year for small-cap stocks that have lagged the overall market but are backed by solid underlying fundamentals.
“Small caps are going to become more in favor in 2025,” Rosenbluth said on CNBC’s “ETF Edge”. “They started to perk up since the election and are heading into the election as interest rates have been coming down.”
There is an increased focus on the best penny stocks to buy for 2025, as most are trading at discounted valuations. The discounted valuations come as the Russell 2000 is only up 11% for the year compared to a 23% gain for the S&P 500. The fact that penny stocks offer the potential for long-term capital appreciations supported by durable profit growth affirms why they are solid long-term plays. Fundstrat Global Advisors' managing partner, Tom Lee, has already reiterated that small-cap stocks are trading at a discount with a medium price-to-earnings multiple of 10.
“Since 1987, small caps have traded on a medium P/E basis to a premium of the S&P 500. The S&P is at 17 times. I think small caps could in the next couple of years outperform by more than 100%,” Lee said in an interview with CNBC.
New Street Advisors CEO Delano Saporu shares similar sentiments; he believes small-cap stocks are well poised to outperform in 2025, having underperformed over the past year. Ever since Donald Trump won the election, penny stocks have advanced amid growing enthusiasm around the potential easing of regulations on businesses.
Profit taking in the magnificent seven stocks and other large-cap stocks on a roll is expected to benefit penny stocks. In addition, the outlook for penny stocks remains solid as investors rotate out of money market accounts as the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates as part of the easing policy spree.
Amid the profit-taking spree, the best penny stock to buy for 2025 should offer a way of diversifying an investment portfolio. By taking a small portion of an extensive portfolio and focusing on high-risk reward opportunities in penny stocks, investors can position themselves for solid returns in case of a breakout.
Our Methodology
To make our list of Best Penny Stocks to Buy for 2025, we scanned the US markets for stocks trading for less than $5. We settled on stocks with solid underlying fundamentals and tremendous upside potential. Finally we ranked the stocks in ascending order based on their upside potential.
Note: All data is as of December 27, 2024
At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter's strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).
A close-up of a laboratory technician in a laboratory, measuring a newly developed biopharmaceutical drug.
Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) is a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company that focuses on developing and commercializing therapeutics for myeloid hematologic malignancies. The company’s lead product, Imetelstat, effectively treats myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myelofibrosis (MF). Consequently, the company remains well-positioned to be a key player in the oncology market.
Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) has already achieved a significant milestone for the US Food and Drug Administration, approving the drug for blood disorders. The approval paves the way for the injectable drug branded as Rytelo to treat transfusion-dependent anaemia in patients with lower-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).
Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) also focuses on expanding its flagship product's commercial reach as it looks to strengthen its revenue streams. In order to support its commercialization efforts, the company has negotiated favorable funding agreements with Royalty Pharma and Pharmakon Advisors, which have contributed $375 million in non-dilutive financing.
The business intends to use this money to develop its distribution network, grow its commercial staff, and invest in sales and marketing campaigns. A marketing authorization application (MAA) review for lower-risk MDS is one of the additional indications for Imetelstat that Geron Corporation (NASDAQ:GERN) is pursuing. This review could result in approval in early 2025.
Overall GERN ranks 1st on our list of the best penny stock to buy for 2025. While we acknowledge the potential of GERN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than GERN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
