Biotech

J.L. Bainbridge Exits Most of Biogen Stake as Biotech Stock Eyes Turnaround

Florida-based wealth advisory J. L. Bainbridge & Co. sold 119,376 shares of Biogen (BIIB 0.58%) during the third quarter for an estimated $16.1 million.

What Happened

In a quarterly disclosure filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, J. L. Bainbridge & Co. Inc. reported selling 119,376 shares of Biogen (BIIB 0.58%) during the third quarter. The estimated value of the shares sold was $16.1 million, based on the average closing price for the period. The fund now holds just 2,969 shares of Biogen valued at $415,898 as of September 30.

What Else to Know

The sale reduced Biogen to 0.03% of reported U.S. equity assets under management as of September 30.

Top holdings after the filing:

  • NASDAQ:MSFT: $164.85 million (13.9% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:AAPL: $122.68 million (10.4% of AUM)
  • NASDAQ:GOOGL: $116.65 million (9.9% of AUM)
  • NYSE:GS: $71.43 million (6% of AUM)
  • NYSE:ETN: $59.86 million (5.1% of AUM)

As of Friday’s market close, shares of Biogen were priced at $143, down 23% over the past year.

Company Overview

Metric Value
Price (as of market close on Friday) $143.00
Market Capitalization $21 billion
Revenue (TTM) $10 billion
Net Income (TTM) $1.5 billion

Company Snapshot

  • Biogen’s portfolio includes therapies for neurological and neurodegenerative diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, spinal muscular atrophy, Alzheimer’s disease, and biosimilars targeting autoimmune disorders.
  • The company generates revenue through the discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of branded pharmaceuticals and biosimilars, with a focus on specialty and rare disease markets.
  • Biogen serves a global customer base, including healthcare providers, hospitals, and specialty pharmacies treating patients with neurological and rare diseases.

Biogen specializes in therapies for complex neurological and neurodegenerative conditions. With a diversified product suite and a robust pipeline, Biogen leverages scientific innovation and strategic collaborations to maintain its position in high-need therapeutic areas.

Foolish Take

Florida-based J.L. Bainbridge & Co. dramatically scaled back its Biogen holdings last quarter, selling nearly its entire position for roughly $16 million. The firm, known for its long-term focus and balanced growth strategy, now holds only about $416,000 worth of Biogen stock—just 0.03% of its reportable U.S. equity assets.

The timing aligns with Biogen’s mixed performance over the past year. Shares are down 23%, despite a strong second-quarter report showing 7% year-over-year revenue growth to $2.6 billion and raised full-year guidance. The company highlighted sequential growth in Alzheimer’s therapy LEQEMBI, rare-disease drug SKYCLARYS, and postpartum-depression treatment ZURZUVAE, with CEO Christopher Viehbacher calling it “another quarter of strong execution” as Biogen reshapes its portfolio for sustainable growth. Still, the stock has struggled amid investor skepticism fueled by declining sales.

Bainbridge’s near-exit follows other portfolio adjustments—such as trims to Delta Air Lines—as the firm concentrates its holdings in proven large-cap growth names like Microsoft, Apple, and Alphabet. For long-term investors, Biogen’s upcoming October 30 earnings will be a key moment to gauge whether its new drug launches can meaningfully offset the erosion of its older franchises.

Glossary

AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of assets a fund or investment manager oversees on behalf of clients.
Quarterly disclosure: A report filed every three months detailing a fund’s holdings, transactions, and other relevant financial information.
Post-trade stake: The number of shares or percentage of ownership remaining after a buy or sell transaction.
Top holdings: The largest investments in a fund’s portfolio, usually ranked by market value or portfolio percentage.
Biosimilars: Biologic medical products highly similar to already approved reference drugs, used to treat various diseases.
Specialty and rare disease markets: Healthcare sectors focused on developing treatments for uncommon or complex medical conditions.
Pipeline: The portfolio of drugs or products a company is developing, from early research to late-stage clinical trials.
Strategic collaborations: Partnerships between companies to jointly develop, market, or distribute products or technologies.
TTM: The 12-month period ending with the most recent quarterly report.

Jonathan Ponciano has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet, Apple, Goldman Sachs Group, and Microsoft. The Motley Fool recommends Biogen and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Destiny Wealth Sells $8.1 Million in IBB Shares — Here’s Why Biotech Stocks Are Lagging

Destiny Wealth Partners reported in an SEC filing on Monday that it sold 59,354 shares of the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) in the third quarter—an estimated $8.1 million transaction based on average pricing for the quarter.

What happened

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, Destiny Wealth Partners reduced its holding in the iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) by 59,354 shares during the quarter. The estimated value of the shares sold was $8.1 million. The fund now holds 16,430 IBB shares valued at $2.4 million as of September 30.

What else to know

This sale left IBB representing 0.3% of Destiny Wealth Partners’ 13F reportable assets.

Top holdings after the filing:

  • JAAA: $46.41 million (5.7% of AUM)
  • VUG: $40.11 million (4.9% of AUM)
  • DFLV: $32.03 million (3.9% of AUM)
  • JCPB: $28.13 million (3.45% of AUM)
  • AMZN: $27.70 million (3.4% of AUM)

As of Tuesday afternoon, IBB shares were priced at $149.73. The fund is up about 5% over the year.

Company overview

Metric Value
AUM $6.2B
Dividend yield 0.18%
Price as of Tuesday afternoon $149.73
1-year total return (as of Sept. 30) –0.65%

Company snapshot

  • IBB seeks to track the investment results of a biotechnology-focused equity index, investing at least 80% of assets in component securities and economically similar investments.
  • It operates as a non-diversified ETF, with periodic rebalancing to maintain index alignment.

The iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) offers investors access to the U.S. biotechnology sector through a passively managed fund. With over $6 billion in market capitalization, the ETF provides exposure to biotechnology companies.

Foolish take

Destiny Wealth Partners’ decision to unload roughly $8.1 million in iShares Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shares adds to a broader theme in markets this year: Institutional investors have been cooling on biotech. The sector has struggled to regain its pandemic-era momentum as investors favor AI, energy, and industrial plays. IBB is up about 5% over the past year, trailing the S&P 500’s 18% gain.

IBB’s two largest holdings—Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Amgen—have each slumped, down about 8% and 7%, respectively, over the past year. That drag has offset strength from smaller, high-growth biotech names focused on oncology and gene therapy. Meanwhile, the fund’s expense ratio of 0.44% sits slightly above broad-market ETF averages, reflecting the niche exposure investors are paying for.

For long-term investors, IBB still offers diversified exposure to the innovation pipeline driving future drug breakthroughs—but near-term returns will depend on FDA approvals, pricing clarity, and investor appetite for higher-risk growth sectors.

Glossary

ETF (Exchange-Traded Fund): An investment fund traded on stock exchanges, holding a basket of assets like stocks or bonds.

Biotechnology ETF: An ETF focused on companies in the biotechnology industry, such as drug development and medical research.

AUM (Assets Under Management): The total market value of assets that an investment manager or fund controls on behalf of clients.

13F reportable AUM: The portion of a fund’s assets that must be disclosed in quarterly SEC Form 13F filings, typically U.S. equity holdings.

Non-diversified ETF: A fund that invests in fewer securities or sectors, increasing exposure to specific industries or companies.

Index-based selection: An investment strategy where holdings are chosen to match a specific market index, rather than by active management.

Component securities: The individual stocks or assets that make up an index or ETF portfolio.

Dividend yield: The annual dividend income expressed as a percentage of the investment’s current price.

Total return: The investment’s price change plus all dividends and distributions, assuming those payouts are reinvested.

Rebalancing: Adjusting a fund’s holdings periodically to maintain alignment with its target index or asset allocation.

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