VICL - Sector: Healthcare---Industry: Biotechnology & Drugs

[LiveLife]

Wow, you sure know how to pick'em David!

Nice gain today with matching volume.

With such a large gain, should we look out for profit taking tomorrow?

Keep up the great work!

[David Randolph]

I said this:

VICL shot up 10% today, on volume above average, breaking through a resistance zone. The technical target of today's breakout is $6.88

But unfortunately I wasn't counting on this moving up so fast ... like basanlas said:

David,

Did you sell today? I see it hit $6.98 and and passed your target. I didn't put in my limit order to sell cause I thought I had a few days before it would get there. Wish I would have caught it on the upswing. Maybe we'll get another pop tomorrow.

... the same happened to me, since the target was so far away, I didn't said to sell at the target, so I didn't put any sell order on the market.

We've had pretty impressive news and volume yesterday. The news were:

Vical DNA Vaccine Technology Enters Phase 2 Clinical Trial for HIV

If we go a bit deeper we find that VICL is not alone in the pursuit of a vaccine for HIV, it has a lot of competitors, some of them giants.

I wasn't counting on this news and I should have sold at the $6.88 target. I didn't. But I will sell around today's open, taking a 30% plus profit in a couple of days. What I need now is to take profits and have cash available.

The Bird Flu play was nice while it was last, but now people will start to judge stocks a bit better and separating the companies that really have a chance of making profits from the disease (like SVA and bigger names), and those that are not ready.

I think VICL is not ready and probably won't be ready in time. I will sell the stock today.

[Se7en]

VICL down 1$ in pre-market!

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/051012/law054.html?.v=31
Vical Announces Pricing of Common Stock in Registered Direct Offering

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated (Nasdaq: VICL - News) today announced that it has obtained commitments to purchase approximately $22.6 million of its common stock in a registered direct offering. Under the terms of the transaction, Vical will sell approximately 4.7 million shares of its common stock at $4.80 per share to a select group of institutional investors. The 30-day average closing price of Vical common stock was $4.83.
ADVERTISEMENT


The closing of the offering is expected to take place on October 17, 2005, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. All of the shares of common stock are being offered by Vical pursuant to an effective registration statement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Piper Jaffray & Co. acted as lead placement agent for the offering, with Needham & Company, LLC, and Rodman & Renshaw, LLC, acting as co-placement agents.

This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. The shares of common stock may only be offered by means of a prospectus. Copies of the final prospectus supplement and accompanying base prospectus can be obtained from Piper Jaffray & Co. at 800 Nicollet Mall, Suite 800, Minneapolis, MN 55402, +1-612-303-6000.

[cumulina]

VICL is down more than 16% now in pre-market...

Probably not just because David is selling   but this might also have something to do with it:



Vical Announces Pricing of Common Stock in Registered Direct Offering
10/12/2005 8:30:50 AM


SAN DIEGO, Oct 12, 2005 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Vical Incorporated (VICL) today announced that it has obtained commitments to purchase approximately $22.6 million of its common stock in a registered direct offering. Under the terms of the transaction, Vical will sell approximately 4.7 million shares of its common stock at $4.80 per share to a select group of institutional investors. The 30-day average closing price of Vical common stock was $4.83.

The closing of the offering is expected to take place on October 17, 2005, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. All of the shares of common stock are being offered by Vical pursuant to an effective registration statement previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Piper Jaffray & Co. acted as lead placement agent for the offering, with Needham & Company, LLC, and Rodman & Renshaw, LLC, acting as co-placement agents.


We're going to get bruised in this one today...

[cumulina]

This is ridiculous!

-19.17%

Instead of selling with a loss - then I added to my position.

We'll see how crazy that was...

Anybody else still sitting with this one?

[basonista]

Bought in today at $4.899.    My stop will be a close below the 61.8% fib retracement at about $4.80 which coincidentally is almost exactly the stock offering price.  The offering of 4.7 million shares is not good but it will still keep the O/S below 30 million and that's not so bad.  I was expecting some profit taking at some point but am now hoping that VICL stays in the news on Avian Flu so that people don't forget about it.

[shawFund]

Concerning VICL and MEMY:

Here is the trick the companies played when they want additional funding through private placement:

step 1. Company which needed the money was in talk with hedge fund;
step 2. Hedge fund bought the company's shares and bought big;
step 3. Company announced good news so the share price was pushed up;
step 4. Hedge fund sold it with big profit;
step 5. Company announced private placement and shares tunked;
step 6. Hedge fund gave the money (part of its profit) to the company.

As a result, the small investors provided the money not the hedge fund.

I have seen this kind of tricks many many times. MEMY is one of them.

[logocovet]

Thanks for the info, Shawfund.  I thought it seemed peculiar how both MEMY and VICL announced a private palcement after some good news.  (I kind of remember CPSTdoing it too.)  Do you know if there are SEC regulations against this practice?

And does the private placement hurt the stock price most at the announcement or at the tiime when the placement happens?

I'm still holding some MEMY and watching VICL.

[Richard]

VICL is right back to it's breakout level...

[ScottishTrader]

true - solid movement the last few days - looking to ride with the rest of the bird flu plays.  I don't think its ready to pull back quite just yet, will keep an eye on it at the open

[cumulina]

I am holding several of the "bird-flu plays" - and off course hope that this is a "play", and not a necessity!

There is talk of licence for making "Tamiflu" will be given out, and if that happens then it'll be very interesting to see if one (or more) of the companys mentioned here on 3sof will be chosen...
With so many of us members alert to this, it should benefit us all 

The concern of the avian flu is getting more intense here in Europe, and great efforts are being made to calm down the population.

Yesterdays movement of the different "Flu-play" stock, I hope was only profit-taking.

I'm currently holding: BCRX, HEB, NVAX, SVA and VICL.

[ScottishTrader]

Hey cumulina,

I'm with you on this one - currently holding HEB and SVA, just bought VICL this morning at 5.60 - to high of course (I'll never learn, but then it always seems like stocks you buy dip down as soon as you buy them... are they just waiting for you to make your order???)

I think the key to getting an edge on this one is to figure out which company will lead in Europe where the threat is most intense at present.  Of course there is concern in the US, but the US is an island in so many ways, and until cases show up there, the general public will not take it too seriously - saying that, if it does, we all know how much the American public like to panic buy drugs for any occasion!!

My question is that if all supplies of Tamiflu are selling out all over Europe, why isn't Roche doing better/on everyone's radar as they are the drug makers - are they simply too big???

[ScottishTrader]

SAN DIEGO, Oct. 25  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Vical Incorporated (NASDAQ:VICL) today announced that the company will report financial results for third quarter 2005 before the opening of trading on Tuesday, November 1, and conduct a conference call and webcast to discuss the financial results and provide a company update at noon Eastern Time on Tuesday, November 1.  The call is open on a listen-only basis to any interested parties.  The company will provide details on independent and partnered development programs in the conference call and webcast.

Definitely worth keeping an eye on as it is mid-day tuesday

VICL seeing some solid action today, along with all the other bird flu plays (with the notable exception of SVA ) Up over 4% right now, has been pushing 5.50 earlier - hopefully should see a run into earnings...

[ScottishTrader]

Hmm... hbaven't posted here in a while, and strange to see no-one else is.  Not sure if anyone else is following VICL, but it broke ou late yesterday after earnings (which were not particularly stellar) and followed through with a big move this morning.  It might well be VICL's turn in the bird flu limelight - their DNA technology is getting some good press.

Been holding this since last failed spike (bad buy again) and glad I didn't get rid of it.  big move this morning and currently forming a nice consolidating pennant on the 15min chart - should move any minute.

I'll post the intraday and 3 month charts right now and come back in a bit

Go VICL

[422fwhp]

Made nice profits the first run and got back in on a good dip.  Now, I'm looking to get out again, probably today...depends on the market.  I'd love to see a third soldier today but then again who wouldn't.

Good luck...Jody