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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.

Equity Research Firm

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<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>For psychedelics, 2024 could be defined by the disappointing outcome of the FDA’s August review decision on Lykos Therapeutics’ (formerly MAPS) NDA for its MDMA-AT candidate for PTSD.</li><li>The FDA’s decision flew in the face of the anticipatory excitement following the NDA submission and award of breakthrough therapy designation earlier in the year following impressive results from Lykos’ two- part Phase 3 trial.</li><li>However, as disappointing as it is, particularly for the many millions of PTSD sufferers and Lykos, which subsequently reduced its workforce by 75%, in the grand scheme of things, this is only a temporary setback.</li></ul>

For psychedelics, 2024 could be defined by the disappointing outcome of the FDA’s August review decision on Lykos Therapeutics’ (formerly MAPS) NDA for its MDMA-AT candidate for PTSD.The FDA’s decision flew in the face of the anticipatory excitement following the NDA submission and award of breakthrough therapy designation earlier in the year following impressive results from Lykos’ two- part Phase 3 trial.However, as disappointing as it is, particularly for the many millions of PTSD sufferers and Lykos, which subsequently reduced its workforce by 75%, in the grand scheme of things, this is only a temporary setback.

Shroom Shmooz Psychedelics: Trends to Watch Going into 2025

<ul><li>The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) has underperformed the S&amp;P500 and Russell 2000 indices during 2024 (Fig 1).</li><li>The S&amp;P 500 has gained ~18%, outpacing the ~8% rise in the XLE and the ~6% rise in the Russell 2000.</li><li>The XLE’s 1H24 performance likely reflects oil prices trading in the $75 - $80/bbl band for much of the first six months of 2024 and natural gas prices which were negatively impacted by mild winter weather. </li></ul>

The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) has underperformed the S&amp;P500 and Russell 2000 indices during 2024 (Fig 1).The S&amp;P 500 has gained ~18%, outpacing the ~8% rise in the XLE and the ~6% rise in the Russell 2000.The XLE’s 1H24 performance likely reflects oil prices trading in the $75 - $80/bbl band for much of the first six months of 2024 and natural gas prices which were negatively impacted by mild winter weather. 

US Oil & Gas - Seeking a Balance Between Growth and Capital Returns to Shareholders

<ul><li>WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the Russell 2000, appreciating 15%.</li><li>However, both indexes fell well short of the 24% growth of the S&amp;P 500 in 2023, with the WTR- CMI Index dragged down by four companies that lost more than 50% in value during the year.</li><li>Weak demand and destocking. Looking back at 2023, several themes are emerging as we head into 2024, such as declining commodity prices and weakening end-market demand, with Y/Y volume comps affected by destocking across several end-markets since mid-year, as supply chain constraints, which characterized 2022, are resolved and companies go back to just-in-time inventory management.</li></ul>

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the Russell 2000, appreciating 15%.However, both indexes fell well short of the 24% growth of the S&amp;P 500 in 2023, with the WTR- CMI Index dragged down by four companies that lost more than 50% in value during the year.Weak demand and destocking. Looking back at 2023, several themes are emerging as we head into 2024, such as declining commodity prices and weakening end-market demand, with Y/Y volume comps affected by destocking across several end-markets since mid-year, as supply chain constraints, which characterized 2022, are resolved and companies go back to just-in-time inventory management.

Industry Report - Chemicals & Materials Technology

Equity Bottom-Up

Abundia Global Impact Group / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Last week, the WTR Sustainable Index was down 1.2% W/W versus the S&amp;P 500 Index (down 0.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (down 0.6%), and the Nasdaq Index (down 0.5%).</li><li>Energy Technology (44% of the index) was down 3.4%, while Transportation Solutions (32% of the index) was down 1.2%, Climate Tech and Clean Tech (17% of the index) was down 0.2%, and Climate Tech Mining and Processing (7% of the index) was up 11.1%.</li><li>Top 10 Performers: GEBRF, WMLLF, ESGLF, FLUX, ALLIF, LEV, IONR, WWR, LNZA, ABAT</li></ul>

Last week, the WTR Sustainable Index was down 1.2% W/W versus the S&amp;P 500 Index (down 0.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (down 0.6%), and the Nasdaq Index (down 0.5%).Energy Technology (44% of the index) was down 3.4%, while Transportation Solutions (32% of the index) was down 1.2%, Climate Tech and Clean Tech (17% of the index) was down 0.2%, and Climate Tech Mining and Processing (7% of the index) was up 11.1%.Top 10 Performers: GEBRF, WMLLF, ESGLF, FLUX, ALLIF, LEV, IONR, WWR, LNZA, ABAT

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on Houston American Energy: September 29, 2025

United States

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust is an exchange-traded fund incorporated in the USA. The ETF tracks the S&P 500 Index. The Trust consists of a portfolio representing all 500 stocks in the S&P 500 Index. It holds predominantly large-cap U.S. stocks. This ETF is structured as a Unit Investment Trust and pays dividends on a quarterly basis. The holdings are weighted by market capitalization.

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SPDR S&P 500 (SPY US)

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

Shroom Shmooz Psychedelics: Trends to Watch Going into 2025

For psychedelics, 2024 could be defined by the disappointing outcome of the FDA’s August review decision on Lykos Therapeutics’ (formerly MAPS) NDA...

Water Tower Research

US Oil & Gas - Seeking a Balance Between Growth and Capital Returns to Shareholders

The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) has underperformed the S&P500 and Russell 2000 indices during 2024. The S&P 500 has gained ~18%, outpacing...

Water Tower Research

Industry Report - Chemicals & Materials Technology

WTR-CMI in 2023. With the majority of stocks in our index finishing the year in positive territory, the WTR-CMI Index managed to keep pace with the...

Water Tower Research

Sustainable Investing Surveyor Focus on Houston American Energy: September 29, 2025

Last week, the WTR Sustainable Index was down 1.2% W/W versus the S&P 500 Index (down 0.3%), the Russell 2000 Index (down 0.6%), and the Nasdaq...

Water Tower Research

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