Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

COVID-19 vaccines figure into Biden's recently-announced COVID-19 response plan, though with a clear emphasis on distribution versus development (as was Trump's focus). Biden's prioritisation of vaccine distribution – and the US$25 billion earmarked for it – is a gift for "cold chain" stocks."Cold chain" refers to a complex temperature-controlled supply chain that is mission-critical to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Critical, because vaccines require consistent ultra-cold storage from manufacture to needle-stick, otherwise those expensive vaccines become medical waste.This Insight looks at cold chain stocks as an investment theme inherent in Biden's COVID-19 plan (see <a href="https://www.smartkarma.com/insights/biden-covid-19-response-plan-overview-of-its-inherent-investment-themes" target="_blank" data-smartkarma-citation="insights:45631" rel="noopener">Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Overview of Its Inherent Investment Themes</a>). Although the cold chain is fragmented and largely privately-held, but there are opportunities in three areas:<ol>
<li>
Freight and Logistics: Most listed companies fall into this category, including both integrated cold chain freight and logistics stocks, as well as niche players in either of freight or logistics.</li>
<li>
Freezer Manufacturers: Ultra-cold freezer boxes and related industrial components of various shapes and sizes are needed for the cold chain to function. Several stocks serve this segment.</li>
<li>
Specialty Chemicals: Dry ice gets all the headlines, as massive amounts are needed but supply is short, but other specialty chemicals and industrial gases are also needed in the cold chain.</li>
</ol>

COVID-19 vaccines figure into Biden's recently-announced COVID-19 response plan, though with a clear emphasis on distribution versus development (as was Trump's focus). Biden's prioritisation of vaccine distribution – and the US$25 billion earmarked for it – is a gift for "cold chain" stocks."Cold chain" refers to a complex temperature-controlled supply chain that is mission-critical to the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Critical, because vaccines require consistent ultra-cold storage from manufacture to needle-stick, otherwise those expensive vaccines become medical waste.This Insight looks at cold chain stocks as an investment theme inherent in Biden's COVID-19 plan (see Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Overview of Its Inherent Investment Themes). Although the cold chain is fragmented and largely privately-held, but there are opportunities in three areas:

Freight and Logistics: Most listed companies fall into this category, including both integrated cold chain freight and logistics stocks, as well as niche players in either of freight or logistics.

Freezer Manufacturers: Ultra-cold freezer boxes and related industrial components of various shapes and sizes are needed for the cold chain to function. Several stocks serve this segment.

Specialty Chemicals: Dry ice gets all the headlines, as massive amounts are needed but supply is short, but other specialty chemicals and industrial gases are also needed in the cold chain.


Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Cold Chain Transportation and Logistics Stocks Benefit

Research from Water Tower Research, Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research

Research from Water Tower Research

Water Tower Research is a leading equity research firm that provides research on micro, small and mid cap companies.

Water Tower Research was founded by Wall Street veterans after witnessing a fundamental shift in the investment research industry with the result being a declining knowledge base among investors, a lack of awareness and a shrinking pool of fundamental research being conducted on companies across the small-cap and micro-cap spectrum. The same issues are now increasingly occurring in the mid-cap space. This sea change within the investment community is impacting not only the companies themselves but also current shareholders and potential investors. With significantly less active sell-side sponsorship by Wall Street, a substantial information gap has developed between companies and various constituents in the financial community. The net result is fewer channels for insight and information to flow between companies and investors.

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<ul><li>The holiday-shortened week was fairly quiet on the macro front, as certain vaccine-related actions by health agencies were largely expected.</li><li>Mainly affected was MRNA, which had a new COVID-19 vaccine approved with a restrictive label and HHS funding canceled for pre-pandemic bird flu vaccines.</li><li>Public comments for the Section 232 investigation are rolling out, signaling pharma tariffs could be imminent, with expectations of ~25%.</li></ul>

The holiday-shortened week was fairly quiet on the macro front, as certain vaccine-related actions by health agencies were largely expected.Mainly affected was MRNA, which had a new COVID-19 vaccine approved with a restrictive label and HHS funding canceled for pre-pandemic bird flu vaccines.Public comments for the Section 232 investigation are rolling out, signaling pharma tariffs could be imminent, with expectations of ~25%.

Biopharma Week in Review - Possible Calm Before the Storm; Pharma Tariffs Looming

Head of Research, Krungthai XSpring

Waraporn Wiboonkanarak

Head of Research

A full service Thai brokerage

Krungthai XSpring

Krungthai XSpring is a full service broker. The company provides a wide range of investment services such as Securities Brokerage, Derivative Agent Business, Securities Borrowing and Lending, Securities Trading, Underwriting, Financial Advisory, Wealth Advisory, Private Fund Management and International Markets Securities Trading. 

In terms of credibility, Fitch Ratings has assigned Krunghtai XSpring a long-term rating of AA- and a national short-term rating of F1+ with stable outlook.

<ul><li>Vaccine stocks (NVAX, BNTX, PFE, MRNA, PCVX) had a good week, as the FDA provided new regulatory policy for COVID-19 vaccines.</li><li>While more restrictive and unconventionally delivered in a NEJM op-ed, the publication reduced uncertainty for vaccine makers and gave full support for the measles vaccine by FDA heads.</li><li>Biopharma shrugged off MFN pricing targets, as implementation remained unclear. </li></ul>

Vaccine stocks (NVAX, BNTX, PFE, MRNA, PCVX) had a good week, as the FDA provided new regulatory policy for COVID-19 vaccines.While more restrictive and unconventionally delivered in a NEJM op-ed, the publication reduced uncertainty for vaccine makers and gave full support for the measles vaccine by FDA heads.Biopharma shrugged off MFN pricing targets, as implementation remained unclear. 

Biopharma Week in Review - FDA Provides Some Certainty for Vaccines; ASCO Abstracts Snippets

<ul><li>Biopharma lagged as Trump’s pending pharma tariffs loom.</li><li>The 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs was a short-lived reprieve for biopharma, as Trump later clarified pharma tariffs were not part of the pause.</li><li>After a second unvaccinated child died from measles (three deaths total), RFK Jr. endorsed the vaccine as the most effective way of prevention. </li></ul>

Biopharma lagged as Trump’s pending pharma tariffs loom.The 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs was a short-lived reprieve for biopharma, as Trump later clarified pharma tariffs were not part of the pause.After a second unvaccinated child died from measles (three deaths total), RFK Jr. endorsed the vaccine as the most effective way of prevention. 

Biopharma Week in Review : Pharma Tariffs Overhang; Worrying Vaccine Comments from RFK Jr.

<ul><li>Trump’s pick for CDC director, former Congressman Dave Weldon, had his nomination withdrawn just hours before the Senate committee hearing.</li><li>Weldon lacked sufficient support from Republicans to clear the committee, as he adhered to his anti-vaccine views more strongly than RFK Jr.</li><li>While vaccine makers (PFE, MRNA, BNTX, NVAX) rebounded briefly on the news, other federal actions kept the space under pressure, including the termination of NIH grants for research on vaccine hesitancy and uptake. </li></ul>

Trump’s pick for CDC director, former Congressman Dave Weldon, had his nomination withdrawn just hours before the Senate committee hearing.Weldon lacked sufficient support from Republicans to clear the committee, as he adhered to his anti-vaccine views more strongly than RFK Jr.While vaccine makers (PFE, MRNA, BNTX, NVAX) rebounded briefly on the news, other federal actions kept the space under pressure, including the termination of NIH grants for research on vaccine hesitancy and uptake. 

Biopharma Week in Review - March 17, 2025

United States

Moderna, Inc. operates as a biotechnology company. The Company focuses on the discovery and development of messenger RNA therapeutics and vaccines. Moderna develops mRNA medicines for infectious, immuno-oncology, and cardiovascular diseases.

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Moderna (MRNA US)

Biden COVID-19 Response Plan: Cold Chain Transportation and Logistics Stocks Benefit

Biden's COVID-19 response plan earmarks US$25 billion to vaccines, but with a twist. His emphasis is vaccine distribution, not development. That...

Kyle Rudden

Biopharma Week in Review - Possible Calm Before the Storm; Pharma Tariffs Looming

The holiday-shortened week was fairly quiet on the macro front, as certain vaccine-related actions by health agencies were largely expected.

Water Tower Research

Biopharma Week in Review - FDA Provides Some Certainty for Vaccines; ASCO Abstracts Snippets

Vaccine stocks (NVAX, BNTX, PFE, MRNA, PCVX) had a good week, as the FDA provided new regulatory policy for COVID-19 vaccines.

Krungthai XSpring

Biopharma Week in Review : Pharma Tariffs Overhang; Worrying Vaccine Comments from RFK Jr.

The 90-day pause in reciprocal tariffs was a short-lived reprieve for biopharma, as Trump later clarified pharma tariffs were not part of the pa

Water Tower Research

Biopharma Week in Review - March 17, 2025

Trump’s pick for CDC director, former Congressman Dave Weldon, had his nomination withdrawn just hours before the Senate committee hearing.

Water Tower Research

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