Rockwell Medical on Expansion Spree: Should You Buy the Stock Now?

Good times continue for Rockwell Medical RMTI stock. Back-to-back big announcements over the recent months, like the company’s new launches for home hemodialysis, a multi-million-dollar distribution agreement in Japan and a product purchase agreement with the leading at-home and acute care dialysis provider in the United States, have generated significant optimism among the investors. Added to this, the latest recognition as the “2024 Fortune Best Workplaces in Manufacturing and Production List” in the small and medium category has been the cherry on the cake.

Over the past three months, the stock has surged a whopping 86.5%, outperforming the 10.7% rise of the industry and the benchmark’s 5.6% increase. The company also outperformed its key rivals like EDAP TMS EDAP and IRIDEX IRIX during this period.

EDAP TMS has fallen 48% and IRIDEX has declined 19.1% in three months, majorly affected by global economic challenges and uncertainties in the form of geopolitical tension, supply-chain risks associated with inflation, the threat of recession, high rate of borrowing and currency volatility among others.

Three-Month Share Comparison

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RMTI Gets Golden Crossover Support

RMTI stock is trading significantly above its 200-day moving average since July 3, 2024. The stock in fact witnessed a golden crossover on June. 26, 2024, and since then, the short-term moving average has been ahead of the long-term moving average. This can be a piece of good news for investors, signaling “support” for a further uptrend.

RMTI Stock Above 50 & 200-Day SMA & a Golden Crossover

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Business Expansion Behind RMTI's Rally

The year 2024 can be regarded as a momentous period for Rockwell Medical’s business. This is the first time in the company’s history that it has achieved a steady revenue growth path, with a projection of more than $100 million in annual sales. Further, in 2024 so far, the company has reported an improving trend of gross profit and gross margin (from a negative number to a consistently growing positive number), attained sustained profitability, and, last but not least, significantly lowered its debt burden.

Through the months of 2024, the company made significant progress in terms of global expansion of its business. Earlier this year, the company entered into a five-year distribution agreement with BioNuclear, enabling the latter to import, sell, promote and distribute Rockwell's hemodialysis concentrates products within the Dominican Republic. The company also entered into an expanded distribution agreement with an existing customer, Atlantic Medical International, which is Bermuda's leading supplier of medical products and equipment for acute and continuing care markets.

Further, the company entered into a product purchase agreement with one of the largest health systems in the Mountain West region of the United States to supply the company's liquid and dry acid and bicarbonate hemodialysis concentrates, cleaning agents, hemodialysis concentrates mixers and any additional products. Very recently, the company executed a distribution agreement with Nipro Medical of Japan to supply Nipro with the company's liquid and dry acid and bicarbonate hemodialysis concentrates, as well as its dry acid concentrates mixer.

Upward Estimate Revisions for RMTI

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for RMTI’s 2024 earnings has been revised upward over the past 90 days. It has been narrowed to a loss of 3 cents from a loss of 14 cents over this period.

Find the latest EPS estimates and surprises on Zacks Earnings Calendar.

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RMTI Sets Impressive Targets for 2025

For 2025 and beyond, Rockwell Medical is focused on two areas. First, it intends to grow the company’s concentrates business and make it more profitable as the company continues to work toward keeping annual revenues above $100 million and gross margins up to 30%. Second, it intends to expand beyond concentrates.

Macro Issues Concern, Wait for Better Entry Point

Rockwell Medical continues to outperform its peers in a challenging market for medical devices, banking on its continued focus on optimizing business to drive sustainable profitability and meaningful cash flow generation. However, growing geopolitical pressure and war situations around the Middle East have led to an escalation in oil prices in recent times. The continued increase in raw material and labor costs, as well as oil price volatility, can dent the company’s profit. Amid such a scenario, RMTI at its budding stage, might find it hard to keep competitive prices. In addition, the high-interest rate environment remains a concern.

These limit this Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) stock’s near-term potential. While current shareholders should hold their positions, new investors should wait for the stock to retract some of its recent gains, providing a better entry point.

You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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