Mural Oncology (MURA) ($~30MM market cap) has become a little bit of a battleground busted biotech within the feedback part of my authentic submit. I at all times respect suggestions on concepts, on this case it helped me keep away from the autumn in MURA’s inventory worth after their just lately printed enterprise replace. The money burn has been considerably increased than anticipated as they wind down their R&D and medical efforts, however included within the press launch have been a couple of nuggets price declaring making the inventory attention-grabbing at present worth ranges.
First, MURA offers a money estimate for year-end, it is a optimistic change as they did not within the authentic April strategic options announcement:
As of June 30, 2025, the corporate had roughly $77.1 million in money and money equivalents. The corporate estimates that, if it has not consummated a transaction or different strategic different by December 31, 2025, its money and money equivalents as of such date will complete roughly $43 to $48 million.
On the mid-point, that equates to roughly $2.50/share. As well as, most corporations will warn that any ahead estimates may are available in decrease than anticipated or sale processes take longer than anticipated, and many others., however MURA form of did the alternative:
This money steering is topic to a lot of assumptions and precise money balances might differ materially, significantly if the Firm consummates a transaction or different strategic different previous to December 31, 2025.
“Precise money balances might differ materially” then cite a optimistic sort shock, simply discovered that attention-grabbing to notice. Possibly one thing is already within the works? Lastly, MURA snuck in language round a liquidation or wind down being a chance which they hadn’t talked about beforehand:
any strategic different it might pursue, together with, however not restricted to, a suggestion for or different acquisition of the corporate, merger, enterprise mixture or different transaction, together with a attainable wind- down and liquidation of the corporate
The straightforward again of envelope math is beneath, my guess is somebody like XOMA or Tang (though one adverse right here is neither Tang nor BML are recognized shareholders) are available in and make a suggestion that quantities to a liquidation dressed up as an acquisition (helps with the Irish takeover guidelines, offers administration change of management bonuses, and many others.) for 90% of the projected year-end money:
There may be some acknowledged hair on this example, it’s a former spin that hasn’t reached the 2 yr secure harbor (would try this in November) and it has additionally let go of over 90% of their staff bringing into query whether or not the IRS would nonetheless contemplate this an lively commerce or enterprise. My uneducated take is MURA continues to be within the drug improvement enterprise, they have not bought their property/enterprise (different biotechs, SYBX involves thoughts, appear very conscious to keep away from being categorised as a money shell and proceed to say their IP in filings regardless of equally stopping all improvement efforts), normally there’s some grace interval however I admit it is a danger.