Investing in biotech

[i7000]

From @StockTwits: Biotech is the best performing sector of the decade:

2015 (so far) +17%
2014 +34%
2013 +67%
2012 +29%

Huge breakthrough in oncology area. People will live longer because of these progresses and you will need more treatment and more $$$. Recalibrate your er model and invest in this business to fund your medical expense down the road. I remember one member said here using your AT&T dividend to pay your monthly phone bills. Same idea here.




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[dallas27]

Can someone explain what a bubble is?


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[Sunset]

Can someone explain what a bubble is?
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No idea, but I'm going to get some biotek stuff right away, so I'll have some if I get sick

 

[Brat]

Looking at Biotech ETFs.. any recommendations, particularly BIB?

 

[Andre1969]

I started investing a little into a Biotech fund in my Fidelity IRA. I started back in November, and have been putting in a little each month. Total return as of last night is about 29.5%.

Kinda makes me wish I'd put in a bit more.

 

[braumeister]

I have owned Fidelity Select Biotech, FBIOX, for over a year and a half. Very volatile but very rewarding.

 

[38Chevy454]

I have owned Fidelity Select Biotech, FBIOX, for over a year and a half. Very volatile but very rewarding.

Same for me, it has been a fun ride for my approx 9 mos in the same fund. I plan to keep it, I see biotech as one area with good potential. Volatility is not a concern if you hold for longer term.

 

[NW-Bound]

I shorted biotech recently, just hoping for a quick few bucks. Lost a bit of money.

I then remember that people lost their shirt shorting internet and tech stocks in 1999. To short something, better wait until it has fallen off its horse.

 

[Andre1969]

Same for me, it has been a fun ride for my approx 9 mos in the same fund. I plan to keep it, I see biotech as one area with good potential. Volatility is not a concern if you hold for longer term.

I figure that if FBIOX goes up too much, I'll simply stop dollar-cost averaging into it. And if it goes up so much that it throws off my portfolio, sell off a bit.

Being a rollover IRA, this isn't money I plan on touching until sometime after 59 1/2, so a good 15 years or more away for me.

 

[MRG]

I have owned Fidelity Select Biotech, FBIOX, for over a year and a half. Very volatile but very rewarding.

++

3 years here. I sold it once, swore it was too hot and I'd never touch it again. I couldn't resist came back, I'm feeling it's too bubbly up here, but I haven't walked away.

@Brat are you watching BIB for trade or investment? Whenever I buy in the future will just be IBB. I worry this thing is "long in the tooth", but IDK.

 

[Brat]

Maybe I should opt for a cooler health care investment such as VHT. Wondering around still, considered IBB but FBT is concentrated on big pharma. I think the larger pharma firms buy out the successful smaller ones to reduce risk.

 

[i7000]

IBB is the best ETF if you want to play in this space. For individual ones, I'll suggest large caps, e.g. AMGN, BIIB, CELG, GILD. 2 of them also pay dividends as well. Large pharma company will have issues moving forward with lower r&d productivity (reason why you er'ed from megacorp) and pricing pressure from ACA. They will buy smaller ones and will pay huge premium. If you have connections with some big name doctors in your area, they will tell you what's going to be hot in next few years. You can put small amount of gambling money on them. Can be a wild ride, for example, PCYC, JUNO, BLUE, KITE.


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[i7000]

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[REWahoo]

 

[check6]

If you are interested in individual stocks take a look at EXAS.

 

[NW Landlady]

All I can say is....



WHEEEEEE!!

 

[Brat]

Did any of you watch the 60 Minutes package on the use of a virus to kill a deadly brain tumor. They did a brief interview of the scientist to proposed the approach as well as patients in the initial testing. I found it fascinating.

 

[MRG]

Did any of you watch the 60 Minutes package on the use of a virus to kill a deadly brain tumor. They did a brief interview of the scientist to proposed the approach as well as patients in the initial testing. I found it fascinating.

Yes they were using a modified polio virus. Treating Glioblastoma tumors which I thought were 100% fatal.

Whatever it is, a good friend of mine is in a different clinical trial for that same terrible disease. He was told to get his affairs in order as he had 4-6 months to live. Its been close to 3 years and he's doing well.

The polio treatment sounds very promising, better than what my friend went through.

 

[Fermion]

I want into IBB. I actually bought 300 shares when it was $200 something last year but then quickly sold them after thinking on it and deciding it was too high and bubbly. Now if I want back into IBB it is $366

I suck so bad.

 

[Rothman]

Proud owner of FBIOX and IBB. I hang onto FBIOX waiting for post retirement when I can go for 0% capital gains rate. I buy and sell IBB often, the volatility gives opportunity of 1-2% short term gains. Whenever it dives I buy and set auto sell level for gain. I do this with the gambling money portion of my portfolio.


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[Fermion]

Proud owner of FBIOX and IBB. I hang onto FBIOX waiting for post retirement when I can go for 0% capital gains rate. I buy and sell IBB often, the volatility gives opportunity of 1-2% short term gains. Whenever it dives I buy and set auto sell level for gain. I do this with the gambling money portion of my portfolio.


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I was doing that with a single stock Gilead, when it was bouncing between $70 and $80 last year. I made a ton of money in my IRA doing that and then lost every dime of it in oil stocks (mostly Seadrill). I thought I was going from risk to lower risk at the time. Easy come easy go!

 

[MRG]

Proud owner of FBIOX and IBB. I hang onto FBIOX waiting for post retirement when I can go for 0% capital gains rate. I buy and sell IBB often, the volatility gives opportunity of 1-2% short term gains. Whenever it dives I buy and set auto sell level for gain. I do this with the gambling money portion of my portfolio.


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I've taken all my investment money out of FBIOX twice(tax defered). Now what's there is a just a bunch of profit. I'm going to let it ride.

I'll start playing with IBB whenever it drops, or appears too.

 

[braumeister]

I was talking last week with my Fidelity guy and commented on how happy I was with FBIOX. His response was "Yeah, for the few who got into it."