We’ll be honest, March’s Stock Challenge was not the most competitive or exciting. That is because on Day 2 of the Challenge, March 2nd, Ventripoint Diagnostics (VPT: TSXV) went vertical. Literally, vertical.
VentriPoint – 3 Month Chart
After trading 9,500 shares on March 1st between $0.10 and $0.10, the small-cap biotech company traded 44.53 million shares to a high of $0.92 the next day! These types of moves can really only happen on the TSX Venture or other small-cap exchanges around the world.
Interestingly enough, VentriPoint’s close of $0.69 per share would be the highest of the month. It has since traded sideways and down; and, has only traded less than one million shares on two days since going parabolic.
We wrote about the company in a March 9th article, titled Ventripoint Diagnostics Rebounds after 3 Days of Declines, writing,
“March 2nd, might be remembered as the best day for any stock on the TSX Venture Exchange in 2017. Ventripoint opened at $0.14, traded to a high of $0.92 before settling at $0.69 per share. The junior biotech stock traded a whopping 44.53 million shares worth nearly $20 million dollars.”
The explosion in value was a result of a press release, titled Approval for World’s First Complete Heart Analysis System for 2D Ultrasound Exams Received by Ventripoint. Ventripoint received a license from Health Canada for the new VMS-PLUS™ machine and the 4-chamber (4C) heart analysis system.
The company reported,
“This is an expansion of the VMS heart analysis product to include right atrium (RA), left atrium (LA) and left ventricle (LV) chambers of the heart. The VMS was already licensed in Canada for use for the right ventricle (RV). This expansion allows for the determination of volume and function for all four chambers of the heart using conventional 2D ultrasound, which could only be provided by MRI until now.”
Click here to read the entire press release.
Ventripoint Diagnostics leads all small-caps in March
Small-cap companies are susceptible to huge breakthroughs and discoveries that can add tens of millions in value overnight. Ventripoint Diagnostics is a perfect example of this and easily handed March’s Stock Challenge to long-time member and first ever Stock Challenge Champ ‘screefer‘.
screefer was the big man on campus this month, looking down at his constituents from high, high above. He put up a jaw-dropping 204.76% combined average return on the month, riding Ventripoint to the silver bullion and Pinnacle Prize Package. To be fair, no one ever had a chance.
Knowing the contest was over, screefer chimed in early this morning at 6:35 AM, writing,
“Not sure what will happen by the end of the day but I will say this about VPT. It is a good thing that this contest only runs month to month. The result would be very different if it tracked since I first picked VPT. As an investment, at least, I am only breaking even. Congratulations to everyone who got into VPT late. Here’s hoping it continues to perform so those of us who have been in since before the first FDA failure can profit (yay, halfway there).”
Click here to visit the Challenge Chatter page.
The closest anyone came was long-time member and often the bridesmaid, but never the bride, ‘minerjoe‘. The embattled competitor put up a solid 59.81% return. While not enough to win in a strong month regardless, it was still a solid performance! Dust yourself off minerjoe and keep fighting for glory.
‘bluedevilsIII’ and ‘coldflame’ Deliver Big Returns in March
New member ‘bluedevilsIII’ put up a solid 45.80% return – enough for 3rd overall in March. Member ‘coldflame’, one of our longest standing competitors, a member of Pinnacle for 9 years and 42 weeks, had his strongest finish in a number of months. The Calgary native is a past Stock Challenge Champ and put up a 43.06% return to finish in 4th place overall. Great job coldflame, we can’t help but route for your next victory after all these years!
There were a total of three other former Stock Challenge Champs in the Top 20 – ‘Geopick’ who finished in 9th with a 30.00% return; ‘moondance249’ who ended the month in 13th with a 23.79% return; and, ‘Shadow Trader’ who crept into 17th with a 17.92% return.
Compared to previous months, the returns, (excluding ‘screefer’ of course), were sub-par. The returns are especially weak when considering the overall strength of the Venture. The TSX Venture rebounded strongly from the middle of the month. The exchange hit a low of 788.45, finishing the month on a strong day, rising 0.99% to close at 815.77.
Long-time member minerjoe has been awarded the People’s Champ award. The People’s Champ is a selective award associated with Pinnacle’s Stock Challenge, and is given to the participant who failed to win, but nonetheless made a name for himself. It comes with no prizes and unfortunately, no glory.
March’s Stock Challenge Top 10
Our champion receives the winner’s only Pinnacle Package – which includes the finest of garments fit for a champion: The Stock Challenge Champ Hoodie and a Pinnacle Digest dri-fit golf shirt (for those afternoons on the links). Wear them with pride screefer!
Member screefer will also receive a Northwest Territorial Mint 10 ounce Silver Bar.
Congratulations to our new champion and welcome to the Stock Stars Hall of Fame! We look forward to watching you compete in future contests!
Good luck to everyone in April’s Stock Challenge, which begins tomorrow.
March’s Stock Challenge Statistics:
Challengers: 261
Highest Return: 204.76%
Lowest Return: – 43.18%
Average Return: 1.89%
Previous Champs in the Top Twenty: 4
