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Cue Biopharma (CUE)
:CUE
US Market

Cue Biopharma (CUE) AI Stock Analysis

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Cue Biopharma

(NASDAQ:CUE)

41Neutral
Cue Biopharma's overall stock score reflects significant financial challenges, particularly in profitability and cash management. Despite some technical momentum, the stock's valuation is speculative due to negative earnings. The financial performance heavily impacts the score, underscoring the need for substantial operational improvements to enhance the company's prospects.
Positive Factors
Financial Performance
Cue reported $3.3MM in collaboration revenues, which was higher than the estimated $2.8MM.
Strategic Partnerships
The partnership with Ono Pharmaceuticals for CUE-401 in the autoimmune space holds significant potential, with Cue retaining 50% of the rights in the U.S. market.
Negative Factors
Financial Constraints
The cash runway is expected to last until mid-2025, suggesting potential financial constraints if additional partnerships or funding are not secured.

Cue Biopharma (CUE) vs. S&P 500 (SPY)

Cue Biopharma Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCue Biopharma, Inc. is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing biologics engineered to selectively modulate the immune system to treat a variety of cancers, chronic infectious diseases, and autoimmune disorders. The company is based in the United States and operates within the biotechnology sector. Its core product platform, Immuno-STAT, is designed to precisely deliver biologic drugs to specific immune cells, thereby enhancing or inhibiting their activity to treat disease effectively while minimizing off-target effects.
How the Company Makes MoneyCue Biopharma makes money primarily through the development and commercialization of its proprietary Immuno-STAT platform, which has potential applications in oncology and autoimmune diseases. The company earns revenue by entering into strategic collaborations and licensing agreements with larger pharmaceutical companies, which provide upfront payments, milestone payments, and potential royalties on sales of products developed using its platform. These partnerships enable Cue Biopharma to leverage the resources and distribution networks of established firms, thereby facilitating the advancement and commercialization of its therapeutic candidates. Additionally, the company may secure funding from government grants and other non-dilutive sources to support its research and development activities.

Cue Biopharma Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Overall, Cue Biopharma faces significant financial challenges, particularly in achieving profitability and managing cash flows effectively. While the balance sheet shows some stability in terms of debt management, the income statement and cash flow metrics indicate substantial operational and financial hurdles. The company needs to address its high costs and improve its revenue generation to achieve a more sustainable financial position.
Income Statement
24
Negative
Cue Biopharma's income statement reveals significant challenges with profitability. The company has a negative gross profit margin of -17.81% TTM, indicating that production costs exceed revenues. The net profit margin of -468.07% TTM highlights substantial losses relative to revenue. Revenue growth is inconsistent, with a recent jump of 73.55% TTM compared to the previous year, but this is from a low base. The EBIT margin is deeply negative at -477.76% TTM, reflecting high operational inefficiencies. Overall, the income statement shows significant struggles with both scalability and cost management.
Balance Sheet
45
Neutral
The balance sheet indicates moderate financial stability. The debt-to-equity ratio is 0.38 TTM, suggesting manageable debt levels compared to equity, though the stockholders' equity has decreased over recent periods. The equity ratio stands at 56.61% TTM, which is relatively healthy, indicating a moderate reliance on equity financing. However, the declining equity and assets are areas of concern. The company's balance sheet reflects a reasonable capital structure but with potential risks due to declining equity.
Cash Flow
30
Negative
Cash flow analysis highlights concerning trends in cash management. Operating cash flow is negative, and the free cash flow is worsening, with a negative growth rate from -$39.96 million to -$38.32 million TTM, showing slight improvement. The free cash flow to net income ratio is 0.86 TTM, indicating that the company is unable to cover net losses with free cash flow. While financing activities provide some relief, overall cash flow sustainability is questionable.
Breakdown
TTMDec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020Dec 2019
Income StatementTotal Revenue
9.53M5.49M1.25M14.94M3.15M3.46M
Gross Profit
-1.70M-32.61M-560.83K16.72M-30.39M-24.03M
EBIT
-45.54M-52.15M-53.22M-43.71M-45.04M-36.77M
EBITDA
-40.02M-46.05M-50.49M-45.44M-43.99M-35.96M
Net Income Common Stockholders
-44.61M-50.73M-52.80M-44.16M-44.78M-36.70M
Balance SheetCash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments
39.21M48.51M76.29M64.37M84.87M44.29M
Total Assets
45.36M61.53M91.28M83.40M99.53M71.61M
Total Debt
0.0014.70M19.32M10.05M7.15M5.80M
Net Debt
-20.80M-33.82M-32.30M-54.32M-67.72M-38.49M
Total Liabilities
11.39M24.45M25.60M17.91M20.62M17.02M
Stockholders Equity
33.97M37.09M65.68M65.49M78.91M54.58M
Cash FlowFree Cash Flow
-38.32M-39.96M-41.98M-39.75M-33.09M-30.84M
Operating Cash Flow
-38.26M-39.96M-41.81M-38.84M-32.49M-30.80M
Investing Cash Flow
33.00K25.00M-24.61M9.11M4.46M3.45M
Financing Cash Flow
15.96M11.86M53.66M19.23M58.61M50.79M

Cue Biopharma Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price1.04
Price Trends
50DMA
1.30
Negative
100DMA
1.30
Negative
200DMA
1.13
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.07
Positive
RSI
35.55
Neutral
STOCH
21.28
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CUE, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 1.04 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 1.25, below the 50-day MA of 1.30, and below the 200-day MA of 1.13, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.07 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 35.55 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 21.28 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for CUE.

Cue Biopharma Risk Analysis

Cue Biopharma disclosed 64 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Cue Biopharma reported the most risks in the “Finance & Corporate” category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Cue Biopharma Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (49)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
49
Neutral
$280.80M-200.48%-44.85%
49
Neutral
$6.90B-0.08-53.01%2.43%24.84%-3.06%
44
Neutral
$114.38M-53.54%145.37%57.01%
42
Neutral
$110.00M-54.21%-78.55%-0.92%
42
Neutral
$14.08M-151.46%-95.23%-325.89%
CUCUE
41
Neutral
$65.88M-131.15%149.51%24.34%
38
Underperform
$50.44M260.68%59.00%32.67%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CUE
Cue Biopharma
1.04
-0.73
-41.24%
AGEN
Agenus
2.05
-11.33
-84.68%
FATE
Fate Therapeutics
0.96
-6.70
-87.47%
AFMD
Affimed
0.91
-4.38
-82.80%
ADAP
Adaptimmune Therapeutics
0.45
-1.04
-69.80%
CRVS
Corvus Pharmaceuticals
4.37
2.35
116.34%

Cue Biopharma Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date: Nov 14, 2024 | % Change Since: -30.67% | Next Earnings Date: Mar 12, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The call presented several positive developments in clinical trials and strategic financial management, but also noted delays in trial launches and competitive market challenges.
Highlights
CUE-101 and Pembrolizumab Combination Shows Promising Results
CUE-101 in combination with Pembrolizumab shows an objective response rate (ORR) of 46% in patients with CPS ≥ 1, compared to the historical ORR of 19% with Pembrolizumab alone. The 12-month overall survival (OS) is 90% with a median OS of 21.8 months.
Strong Performance in Low CPS Score Patients
Patients with low CPS scores (1 to 19) showed an ORR of 50% with CUE-101 and Pembrolizumab, significantly higher than the historical 15% with Pembrolizumab alone.
CUE-401 Autoimmune Program Progress
CUE-401, in collaboration with ONO Pharmaceuticals, shows promising data in generating regulatory T cells and is moving towards lead candidate selection in Q1 2025.
Financial Strategy and Extended Runway
Through strategic measures, the company's runway is extended to mid-2025 while reducing annual cash burn from $40 million to $30 million.
Lowlights
Delays in Capital-Intensive Trials
Measures to delay the launch of capital-intensive trials were implemented, affecting the pace of certain developments.
Competition and Market Challenges
The call highlights challenges from competitive data and evolving market landscapes, particularly in head and neck cancer treatments.
Company Guidance
During Cue Biopharma's Q2 2024 earnings call, the executives provided guidance on several metrics and strategic priorities. They highlighted their focus on reducing capital requirements by achieving a cash burn reduction from $40 million to $30 million annually, extending their runway to mid-2025. The company is advancing its CUE-101 and CUE-102 oncology programs, with CUE-101 showing an objective response rate of 46% and a notable 12-month overall survival rate of 90% in a combination trial with pembrolizumab. Cue-401, in collaboration with ONO Pharmaceuticals, targets autoimmune diseases, with lead candidate selection anticipated in Q1 2025. Additionally, CUE-501 is being positioned for strategic partnering, aimed at addressing B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. The company's approach includes leveraging strategic partnerships to optimize resource allocation and bolster cash flow through milestone payments and potential co-development agreements.
Glossary
OutperformA stock rated as "Outperform" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider this stock a good buying opportunity.
NeutralA stock rated as "Neutral" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly attractive nor unattractive for investment. Investors may consider holding onto the stock, as it is not expected to either significantly outperform or underperform the market.
UnderperformA stock rated as "Underperform" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests that the stock may deliver lower returns compared to the average returns of other stocks in the same sector or market index. Investors might consider selling the stock or avoiding it as an investment.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.