We recently published a list of 10 Best Nasdaq Stocks Under $5 to Buy. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Absci Corp. (NASDAQ:ABSI) stands against other best Nasdaq stocks under $5 to buy.
The Nasdaq is one of the top three most-followed stock market indices in the United States, comprising over 2,500 stocks. Its composition is heavily skewed towards the Technology sector, and as of February 10, 2025, the technology sector constituted around 60% of the index’s weight. Consumer Discretionary follows as the second-largest sector, accounting for approximately 20% of the weight. Given this substantial weighting, the Nasdaq is commonly regarded as a leading indicator of the performance of the IT industry.
While the Nasdaq includes tech giants with the largest market capitalizations, it also presents opportunities to invest in stocks often referred to as “penny stocks.” These stocks, priced under $5, offer significant growth potential for investors seeking high returns at a relatively low capital outlay. Although these stocks come with high return and diversification opportunities, they also carry higher risks due to their smaller market capitalization, relatively higher debt, and greater volatility in share prices.
To provide a perspective on the small-cap investing landscape, we refer to recent insights from Francis Gannon, Co-Chief Investment Officer at Royce Investment Partners. In November 2024, during an interview with Yahoo Finance, Gannon discussed his thesis on small-caps. He noted that small-caps had been out of favour for an extended period, with the Russell 2000 reaching its peak three years ago and experiencing negative returns since then. Gannon believes the new Trump administration, reshoring efforts, leading innovation, and a favourable earnings season will significantly boost small-cap companies, describing this shift as nothing short of a “revolution.”
As a result, exciting return opportunities are anticipated in the small-cap space in the coming years. When reviewing stocks priced under $5, investors should carefully select emerging companies with innovative business models or disruptive technologies, and those that have the potential to deliver exponential growth as they capture market share, develop new products, or enter new markets.
Our Methodology
To identify the 10 best Nasdaq stocks under $5 to buy, we screened Nasdaq-listed companies with a market price below $5. We selected the 10 companies that were the most widely held by hedge funds and ranked them in ascending order of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024.
Note: All pricing data is as of market close on February 10.
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 scientist in a lab, focused on a molecular microscope with biologic drug candidates.
Absci Corp. (NASDAQ:ABSI)
Current Market Price: $4.33
Number of hedge funds: 20
Absci Corp. (NASDAQ:ABSI) is a biotechnology company that leverages AI and lab technology to create better drugs for patients more rapidly. It utilizes data to train its AI, which helps design new drugs that are then tested in the lab. The company’s goal is to produce high-quality, effective drugs through its unique Integrated Drug Creation platform.
Absci Corp. (NASDAQ:ABSI) is a consensus Buy, with all analysts covering the stock assigning a Buy rating and projecting an average 85% upside potential. On January 22, analyst from Needham initiated coverage on the company with a Buy rating and a $9 price target. He based his positive case on the view that the company stands out from the competition due to its practical approach to drug development. The analyst also believes the company has “potential best-in-class assets in high-value therapeutic areas” and employs a business strategy focused on creating and monetizing early-stage value.
By combining AI with scalable lab technology, Absci Corp. (NASDAQ:ABSI) can develop novel biologics, including antibodies and other protein therapeutics, aimed at addressing unmet medical needs. Their hands-on approach allows them to innovate efficiently and effectively in the biotechnology space, which should support significant growth and value creation.
Overall, ABSI ranks 8th on our list of best Nasdaq stocks under $5 to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of ABSI to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that 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 ABSI but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.