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Investment Highlights Why It Matters Which of these 2 stories sounds closer for this stock?

1. Generates cash flow

The stock generated 4% or more of the share price (called cash flow yield), and shows moderate 10-15% or more growth.

2. Riding a trend

Think Tesla during the pandemic of 2020 when EVs were riding a cultural high, or Nvidia in the current AI boom, or even Figma. These companies don’t have enough yield, or, enough growth, or both - however - they are riding a trend. They have momentum. These can be more volatile - they don’t have the floor of strong cash flow


0 Cash is significant % of market cap
Net D/ENet Debt/Equity. Debt net of cash. Negative indicates net cash. Equity is taken as the Market Capitalization is -17%
Weak multi-year price returns
3Y Excs Rtn is -73%
Very low revenue
Rev LTMTotal Revenue or Sales, Last Twelve Months is 0
1 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Biotechnology & Genomics, Precision Medicine, and Aging Population & Chronic Disease. Themes include Gene Editing & Therapy, Show more.
  Not profitable at operating income level
Op Inc LTMOperating Income, Last Twelve Months is -8.4 Mil
2   Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg LTMRevenue Change % Last Twelve Months (LTM) is null
3   Yield minus risk free rate is negative
ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -22%
4   High stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 156%
0 Cash is significant % of market cap
Net D/ENet Debt/Equity. Debt net of cash. Negative indicates net cash. Equity is taken as the Market Capitalization is -17%
1 Megatrend and thematic drivers
Megatrends include Biotechnology & Genomics, Precision Medicine, and Aging Population & Chronic Disease. Themes include Gene Editing & Therapy, Show more.
2 Weak multi-year price returns
3Y Excs Rtn is -73%
3 Very low revenue
Rev LTMTotal Revenue or Sales, Last Twelve Months is 0
4 Not profitable at operating income level
Op Inc LTMOperating Income, Last Twelve Months is -8.4 Mil
5 Weak revenue growth
Rev Chg LTMRevenue Change % Last Twelve Months (LTM) is null
6 Yield minus risk free rate is negative
ERPEquity Risk Premium (ERP) = Total Yield - Risk Free Rate, Reflects the premium above risk free assets offered by the investment. is -22%
7 High stock price volatility
Vol 12M is 156%

Valuation, Metrics & Events

XCUR Stock


Why The Stock Moved


Qualitative Assessment

AI Generated Analysis | Feedback

Here are key points highlighting why Exicure (XCUR) stock moved by -0.9% during the approximate time period from August 31, 2025, to December 4, 2025: 1. Exicure reported a widening net loss and critically low cash reserves in its Third Quarter 2025 Financial Results, leading management to issue a "going concern" warning. The company's net loss for Q3 2025 was $2.4 million, and cash and cash equivalents significantly decreased to $4.4 million as of September 30, 2025, down from $12.5 million at the end of 2024. Management explicitly stated that current cash reserves were insufficient to fund operations and that substantial additional financing was urgently needed, indicating severe near-term liquidity risk.

2. Positive interim Phase 2 clinical trial data for its lead program, burixafor, provided a counterbalance to financial concerns. On October 6, 2025, Exicure announced that its ongoing Phase 2 multiple myeloma study of burixafor (GPC-100) achieved its primary endpoint, showing 100% CD34+ stem cell mobilization in all evaluable patients. The company highlighted that the clinical database was locked, with topline data expected in Q4 2025.

Show more

Stock Movement Drivers

Return vs. Risk


Price Returns Compared

 202020212022202320242025Total [1]
Returns
XCUR Return-38%-89%-81%-50%371%-59%-99%
Peers Return2%-1%6%8%-0%2%17%
S&P 500 Return16%27%-19%24%23%16%112%

Monthly Win Rates [3]
XCUR Win Rate33%33%25%33%33%30% 
Peers Win Rate13%8%13%12%10%90% 
S&P 500 Win Rate58%75%42%67%75%70% 

Max Drawdowns [4]
XCUR Max Drawdown-64%-89%-88%-68%-48%-74% 
Peers Max Drawdown-2%-5%0%-0%-1%-2% 
S&P 500 Max Drawdown-31%-1%-25%-1%-2%-15% 


[1] Cumulative total returns since the beginning of 2020
[2] Peers: VRTX, AIXC, ALPS, BBOT, EVMN.
[3] Win Rate = % of calendar months in which monthly returns were positive
[4] Max drawdown represents maximum peak-to-trough decline within a year
[5] 2025 data is for the year up to 12/3/2025 (YTD)

How Low Can It Go

Unique KeyEventXCURS&P 500
2022 Inflation Shock2022 Inflation Shock  
2022 Inflation Shock% Loss% Loss-99.6%-25.4%
2022 Inflation Shock% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven22602.7%34.1%
2022 Inflation ShockTime to BreakevenTime to BreakevenNot Fully Recovered days464 days
2020 Covid Pandemic2020 Covid Pandemic  
2020 Covid Pandemic% Loss% Loss-64.0%-33.9%
2020 Covid Pandemic% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven177.7%51.3%
2020 Covid PandemicTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven79 days148 days
2018 Correction2018 Correction  
2018 Correction% Loss% Loss-48.8%-19.8%
2018 Correction% Gain to Breakeven% Gain to Breakeven95.1%24.7%
2018 CorrectionTime to BreakevenTime to Breakeven136 days120 days

Compare to VRTX, AIXC, ALPS, BBOT, EVMN


In The Past

Exicure's stock fell -99.6% during the 2022 Inflation Shock from a high on 2/10/2021. A -99.6% loss requires a 22602.7% gain to breakeven.

Preserve Wealth

Limiting losses and compounding gains is essential to preserving wealth over time.

Asset Allocation

Actively managed asset allocation strategies protect wealth. Learn more.

About Exicure (XCUR)

Better Bets than Exicure (XCUR)

Trade Ideas

Select past ideas related to XCUR. For more, see Trefis Trade Ideas.

Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
CRL_11142025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11142025CRLCharles River Laboratories InternationalDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
10.0%10.0%-3.7%
GDRX_11142025_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE11142025GDRXGoodRxDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
-7.7%-7.7%-11.8%
ASTH_11142025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11142025ASTHAstrana HealthDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
6.9%6.9%-5.5%
SGRY_11142025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11142025SGRYSurgery PartnersDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
11.5%11.5%-1.4%
TFX_11072025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11072025TFXTeleflexDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
8.9%8.9%-5.1%
Unique KeyDateTickerCompanyCategoryTrade Strategy6M Fwd Rtn12M Fwd Rtn12M Max DD
CRL_11142025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11142025CRLCharles River Laboratories InternationalDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
10.0%10.0%-3.7%
GDRX_11142025_Dip_Buyer_High_CFO_Margins_ExInd_DE11142025GDRXGoodRxDip BuyDB | CFO/Rev | Low D/EDip Buy with High Cash Flow Margins
Buying dips for companies with significant cash flows from operations and reasonable debt / market cap
-7.7%-7.7%-11.8%
ASTH_11142025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11142025ASTHAstrana HealthDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
6.9%6.9%-5.5%
SGRY_11142025_Dip_Buyer_High_FCF_Yield_ExInd_DE_RevG11142025SGRYSurgery PartnersDip BuyDB | FCF Yield | Low D/EDip Buy with High Free Cash Flow Yield
Buying dips for companies with significant free cash flow yield (FCF / Market Cap) and reasonable debt / market cap
11.5%11.5%-1.4%
TFX_11072025_Dip_Buyer_FCFYield11072025TFXTeleflexDip BuyDB | FCFY OPMDip Buy with High FCF Yield and High Margin
Buying dips for companies with high FCF yield and meaningfully high operating margin
8.9%8.9%-5.1%

Recent Active Movers

Recent Active Movers

More From Trefis

Peer Comparisons for Exicure

Peers to compare with:

Financials

XCURVRTXAIXCALPSBBOTEVMNMedian
NameExicure Vertex P.AIxCryptoALPS BridgeBi.Evommune  
Mkt Price5.56463.132.541.0711.0721.228.31
Mkt Cap0.0118.4----59.2
Rev LTM011,7230-0100
Op Inc LTM-8-92-5--93-70-70
FCF LTM-53,337-6--60-64-6
FCF 3Y Avg-102,064-10----10
CFO LTM-53,718-6--60-64-6
CFO 3Y Avg-102,419-10----10

Growth & Margins

XCURVRTXAIXCALPSBBOTEVMNMedian
NameExicure Vertex P.AIxCryptoALPS BridgeBi.Evommune  
Rev Chg LTM-100.0%10.3%-----44.8%
Rev Chg 3Y Avg128.8%10.5%----69.6%
Rev Chg Q-11.0%----11.0%
QoQ Delta Rev Chg LTM-2.7%----2.7%
Op Mgn LTM--0.8%----700.7%-350.7%
Op Mgn 3Y Avg-26.2%----26.2%
QoQ Delta Op Mgn LTM-1.0%----1.0%
CFO/Rev LTM-31.7%----635.6%-302.0%
CFO/Rev 3Y Avg-23.1%----23.1%
FCF/Rev LTM-28.5%----636.5%-304.0%
FCF/Rev 3Y Avg-19.8%----19.8%

Valuation

XCURVRTXAIXCALPSBBOTEVMNMedian
NameExicure Vertex P.AIxCryptoALPS BridgeBi.Evommune  
Mkt Cap0.0118.4----59.2
P/S-8.5----8.5
P/EBIT-3.222.4----9.6
P/E-5.627.2----10.8
P/CFO-8.626.9----9.2
Total Yield-17.7%3.7%-----7.0%
Dividend Yield0.0%0.0%----0.0%
FCF Yield 3Y Avg-116.4%2.3%-----57.1%
D/E0.00.0----0.0
Net D/E-0.2-0.0-----0.1

Returns

XCURVRTXAIXCALPSBBOTEVMNMedian
NameExicure Vertex P.AIxCryptoALPS BridgeBi.Evommune  
1M Rtn32.1%8.7%---9.9%-8.7%
3M Rtn8.4%16.8%--12.5%-12.5%
6M Rtn-45.2%3.9%-----20.7%
12M Rtn-60.3%1.3%-----29.5%
3Y Rtn12.6%44.1%----28.4%
1M Excs Rtn32.1%8.7%---9.9%-8.7%
3M Excs Rtn5.9%11.3%--4.5%-5.9%
6M Excs Rtn-59.9%-10.8%-----35.4%
12M Excs Rtn-94.7%-14.6%-----54.7%
3Y Excs Rtn-72.9%-25.9%-----49.4%

Financials

Segment Financials

Revenue by Segment

$ Mil20242023202220212020
Biotechnology029-0171
Total029-0171


Net Income by Segment
$ Mil20242023202220212020
Biotechnology-17    
Total-17    


Price Behavior

Short Interest

Short Interest: As Of Date11142025
Short Interest: Shares Quantity5,083
Short Interest: % Change Since 10312025-26.8%
Average Daily Volume12,128
Days-to-Cover Short Interest1
Basic Shares Quantity6,317,744
Short % of Basic Shares0.1%

SEC Filings

Expand for More

Report DateFiling DateFiling
6302025808202510-Q 6/30/2025
3312025627202510-Q 3/31/2025
12312024318202510-K 12/31/2024
93020241114202410-Q 9/30/2024
6302024813202410-Q 6/30/2024
3312024617202410-Q 3/31/2024
12312023606202410-K 12/31/2023
9302023516202410-Q 9/30/2023
6302023811202310-Q 6/30/2023
3312023714202310-Q 3/31/2023
12312022327202310-K 12/31/2022
93020221114202210-Q 9/30/2022
6302022815202210-Q 6/30/2022
3312022516202210-Q 3/31/2022
12312021325202210-K 12/31/2021
93020211119202110-Q 9/30/2021