FINWIRES · TerminalLIVE
FINWIRES

Ducommun Investor Day Focus Likely to Be Margin Expansion, M&A Deals, RBC Says

By

Ducommun's (DCO) investors will likely be eyeing topics like the pace of its margin expansion, growth outlook and M&A deals at the company's investor day on Thursday, RBC Capital Markets said in a note emailed Tuesday.

RBC noted that Ducommun has been one of the strongest performing shares in the aerospace and defense sector this year, with the stock gaining about 73% year to date.

Investors in Ducommun "have focused on the missile exposure, margin expansion, and the company is delivering towards its 2027 targets," the note said.

Consensus forecasts for the company are for about 18.3% 2027 adjusted EBITDA margins compared with the target of about 18%, and revenue estimates of $971 million, versus the $950 million target, RBC said.

The investment firm also highlighted that Ducommun has increased its gross margins by 620 basis points since 2022, and the 2027 adjusted EBITDA estimates may be conservative as it has significant missile and munition exposure which "should support near-term strength in its defense portfolio."

Meanwhile, M&A deals may also be a potential catalyst, the note said. "An acceleration in the engineered products portfolio through potential M&A would be a positive in our view," RBC said, adding the company has about $400 million in M&A capacity through 2027.

RBC kept Ducommun's sector perform rating and $200 price target.

Price: $159.36, Change: $-5.14, Percent Change: -3.12%

What else is happening in Wire?

Wire

Veea, NovaGen Sign Term Sheet for Potential $750 Million Combination

Veea (VEEA) and NovaGen Group signed a term sheet to merge in a deal that values the new entity at $750 million, and GeoNova Capital also signed a term sheet to invest $10 million in the combined company as a cornerstone investor.Veea said Monday the value of the combined company was based on management's internal projections and an independent assessment.The potential merger remains subject to definitive documentation and closing conditions, with a final agreement expected in the coming weeks, the companies said.The companies also announced plans to launch NovaGen Health Networks, a connected health platform combining Veea's edge computing and cybersecurity technology with NovaGen's cellular reprogramming and clinical services. Initial deployments are set to begin at NovaGen clinics and partner hospitals in Q4.Veea is headquartered in New York, NovaGen is based in Amsterdam, and GeoNova Capital is in the United Arab Emirates.Veea shares rose 59% in after-hours trading.

$VEEA
Wire

Contineum Therapeutics Says Phase 2 Major Depressive Disorder Study Fails to Meet Primary Efficacy Endpoint

Contineum Therapeutics (CTNM) said late Monday the phase 2 MOONLIGHT-1 trial of JNJ-5120/PIPE-307 for the treatment of major depressive disorder did not meet its primary efficacy endpoint.JNJ-5120/PIPE-307 is being developed by Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) under a global license and development agreement, the company noted.The study evaluated improvement from baseline in the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale total score at Day 5 compared with placebo, the company said, adding that the treatment was well tolerated and showed no new safety signals.Johnson & Johnson is continuing to review the trial data, including prespecified exploratory endpoints, to determine next steps for the program, according to a statement.

$CTNM$JNJ
Wire

Market Chatter: OpenAI Acquires Camera Startup Glass Imaging

Microsoft-backed (MSFT) OpenAI quietly acquired Glass Imaging, a startup developing AI-powered smartphone camera technology aimed at matching DSLR image quality, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.The deal valued Glass Imaging at more than $300 million, some of the people said, according to the report. OpenAI's exact plans for Glass Imaging are not clear, the report added.OpenAI and Glass Imaging did not immediately respond to requests for comment from.(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)Price: $506.92, Change: $+11.29, Percent Change: +2.28%

$MSFT