Latest news with #Cogstate
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
ASX medtechs transforming brain diagnostics for better outcomes
ASX medtechs are taking brain diagnostics beyond the hospital or clinical settings to the front lines of care EMVision's First Responder portable brain scanning technology aims to speed up stroke detection for better patient outcomes Cogstate's Cognigram Digital Cognitive Assessment System is used by physicians to detect changes in cognitive function From sporting fields to ambulances, ASX medtech innovators are pushing brain diagnostics beyond hospital walls. They are reimagining how we detect, monitor and understand brain health using real-time technologies that bring speed, precision and accessibility to the front lines of care. Whether it's scanning for stroke in the critical golden hour, tracking concussion impacts in athletes, or measuring subtle cognitive decline in increasingly ageing populations, these companies are tackling complex challenges in neuroscience. Leading the charge are EMVision, Cogstate, HitIQ and Compumedics, each tackling brain health from a unique angle and driving a shift toward improving brain health evaluation. EMVision to speed up stroke detection with portable scanners According to the World Health Organization, 15 million people suffer a stroke each year, with five million dying, and another five million left permanently disabled. Speed is critical. If treatment can be given during the "golden hour" – the first 60 minutes after a stroke occurs – patients tyically see far better outcomes. That is where EMVision's First Responder technology is uniquely positioned to make a positive impact. The company was founded in 2017 by CEO and managing director Scott Kirkland and colleagues who acquired the technology from UniQuest, the University of Queensland's commercialisation arm, making its ASX debut in December 2018. The company has started a pivotal trial to support US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) de novo (new device) approval for its first commercial bedside device, the emu, which is named after the fast-running native bird and is an abbreviation of "electromagnetic unit". EMVision's emu and First Responder portable brain scanners deliver point-of-care neurodiagnostic capability in hospitals, regional clinics, ambulances, or emergency settings. "Easier access to this type of information ensures patients get the care they need as quickly as possible," Kirkland told Stockhead. In March EMVision announced that the First Responder device had successfully undertaken volunteer scans in aeromedical environments. As part of an ethics approved clinical study, the First Responder device withstood the rigours of aeromedical use in remote locations, in collaboration with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and the Australian Stroke Alliance (ASA). "We're excited to bring our technology to leading research centres in Australia and the United States and we look forward to future clinical use of our devices benefiting patients worldwide," Kirkland said. Cogstate detecting cognitive function The CogState (ASX:CGS) Cognigram Digital Cognitive Assessment System is used by physicians to detect changes in cognitive function in patients by measuring processing speed, attention, visual learning, working memory, visual motor function and executive function. The Cognigram system can be used to assess cognition on a single occasion or cognitive change over periodic assessments. You may have even seen or heard of Cognigram referred to as the Cogstate concussion test and mentioned in footy coverage. Cogstate is also benefiting from the strong global interest in cognition-related clinical trials, especially for Alzheimer's disease. In its H1 FY25 results, Cogstate reported a 19% surge in revenue to a record US$23.94 million, with an EBIT of US$4.8m, up 167% compared to previous corresponding period (pcp). Alzheimer's trials accounted for ~70% of Cogstate's clinical trial revenue. The company is also targeting growth in trials for other indications such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, depression, epilepsy and oncology (where the studies have cognitive endpoints, such as for brain metastases). "Cogstate has shown solid revenue growth in our clinical business, which has delivered bottom line earnings growth," CEO Brad O'Connor told Stockhead . "The question is, given an aging population and increasing incidence of neurodegeneration caused by conditions like Alzheimer's, how are we empowering people in the community to both monitor and make decisions about managing their brain health?" O'Connor said a recent report from the Alzheimer's Association calls out that people want to know if something is going wrong as they're noticing the first symptoms. "Presently, we don't provide people with the tools, which is both a challenge and opportunity." Compumedics making waves in brain imaging with TCD tech While best known for its sleep technology, Compumedics (ASX:CMP) is also building a strong global reputation for its comprehensive neurodiagnostic solutions, spanning both clinical and research applications. Compumedics' DWL brain ultrasonic monitoring division has developed a transcranial doppler (TCD) which provides rapid, non-invasive, cost-effective repeatable, and real-time measures of cerebrovascular hemodynamics (blood flow dynamics in the brain's vascular system) with a high diagnostic accuracy. TCD is proving its value as a diagnostic tool across a wide range of brain-related conditions from stroke and mini-strokes to concussion, TBI, aneurysms and brain infections. "TCD can be efficiently and effectively performed at the patient, bedside, in the ICU or operating theatre," executive chairman and CEO David Burton said. Compumedics is releasing a new robotic artificial intelligence TCD featuring a portable module that supports use in various positions – lying, sitting, or standing – enhancing its versatility. "The lightweight bilateral units are designed to be easily attached to the patient's head, similar to placing on a set of music headphones, allowing repositioning on either side of the head or both," Burton said. "This provides a flexible application in diverse clinical scenarios like emergency rooms, intensive care units, sports fields, battlefields, and ambulances." New research shows that TCD can help doctors assess pressure inside the skull, making it easier to manage patients with suspected idiopathic intracranial hypertension. A study from the Neurology department at Chemnitz Medical Center in Germany found that intracranial pressure (ICP) could be estimated using continuous readings of blood pressure and blood flow in the brain, measured with Compumedics' DWL TCD device. "Imagine a football field where a player gets a knock to the head and the brain hits the inside of the skull, swelling like any bruised organism," Burton said. "However, because of restrictions of the skull and tight space, the brain soon becomes highly pressured, which is very dangerous." Burton said on a sports field this is often compounded by a player who may initially behave and feel quite normal. Once the brain starts compressing against the skull their condition can deteriorate very rapidly. "If the player gets another major or even minor knock this is referred to as a secondary concussion and can ultimately accelerate the high pressure within the skull region to health or life-threatening consequences," he said. "The use of AI and robotics to potentially bring TCD technology to sports fields could offer major benefits for protecting players' brain health." HITIQ targets growing concussion management market HitIQ (ASX:HIQ) is also capitalising on the expanding global concussion management market with a product suite that leverages advanced technology to support early identification, assessment, and monitoring of concussion risks. HITIQ's technology is used across various sports, with commercial agreements in place with the AFL, United Kingdom Sports Institute, and English Premier League. The company is now shifting its strategic focus to the consumer market, targeting amateur and community-level athletes. In its recent quarterly report, HitIQ announced the commercial rollout of PROTEQT, its consumer-focused concussion management system, scheduled for this month. PROTEQT aims to bring elite-level technology to grassroots athletes. 'PROTEQT incorporates an easy-fit boil-and-bite mouthguard that provides the protective qualities of a premium mouthguard whilst primarily functioning as state-of-the-art head impact surveillance technology, complemented by symptom assessment tools and teleconcussion services," said chief commercial officer Damien Hawes. "This addresses the critical need for accessible concussion management in community sports." HITIQ has secured a multi-year sponsorship-style agreement with the Victorian Amateur Football Association, covering 15,000 players aged 16–35, alongside a marketing agreement with Westfield Sports High School in Sydney. Hawes said that HITIQ was close to finalising agreements with other community and regional Australian football leagues, as well as rugby league and rugby union organisations, as part of its ambition to reach 100,000 athletes aged 12 and over in the first year of the PROTEQT rollout.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cogstate (ASX:CGS) Could Become A Multi-Bagger
Did you know there are some financial metrics that can provide clues of a potential multi-bagger? Amongst other things, we'll want to see two things; firstly, a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an expansion in the company's amount of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. And in light of that, the trends we're seeing at Cogstate's (ASX:CGS) look very promising so lets take a look. We check all companies for important risks. See what we found for Cogstate in our free report. For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Cogstate, this is the formula: Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT) ÷ (Total Assets - Current Liabilities) 0.20 = US$9.7m ÷ (US$61m - US$13m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2024). So, Cogstate has an ROCE of 20%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Healthcare Services industry average of 9.6%. Check out our latest analysis for Cogstate Above you can see how the current ROCE for Cogstate compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like to see what analysts are forecasting going forward, you should check out our free analyst report for Cogstate . The fact that Cogstate is now generating some pre-tax profits from its prior investments is very encouraging. Shareholders would no doubt be pleased with this because the business was loss-making five years ago but is is now generating 20% on its capital. Not only that, but the company is utilizing 165% more capital than before, but that's to be expected from a company trying to break into profitability. This can indicate that there's plenty of opportunities to invest capital internally and at ever higher rates, both common traits of a multi-bagger. On a related note, the company's ratio of current liabilities to total assets has decreased to 21%, which basically reduces it's funding from the likes of short-term creditors or suppliers. This tells us that Cogstate has grown its returns without a reliance on increasing their current liabilities, which we're very happy with. To the delight of most shareholders, Cogstate has now broken into profitability. And with the stock having performed exceptionally well over the last five years, these patterns are being accounted for by investors. So given the stock has proven it has promising trends, it's worth researching the company further to see if these trends are likely to persist. While Cogstate looks impressive, no company is worth an infinite price. The intrinsic value infographic for CGS helps visualize whether it is currently trading for a fair price. Cogstate is not the only stock earning high returns. If you'd like to see more, check out our free list of companies earning high returns on equity with solid fundamentals. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
One Cogstate Insider Raised Their Stake In The Previous Year
From what we can see, insiders were net buyers in Cogstate Limited's (ASX:CGS ) during the past 12 months. That is, insiders acquired the stock in greater numbers than they sold it. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. Trump has pledged to "unleash" American oil and gas and these 15 US stocks have developments that are poised to benefit. The Non-Executive Chairman Martyn Myer made the biggest insider purchase in the last 12 months. That single transaction was for AU$108k worth of shares at a price of AU$1.08 each. Although we like to see insider buying, we note that this large purchase was at significantly below the recent price of AU$1.27. Because it occurred at a lower valuation, it doesn't tell us much about whether insiders might find today's price attractive. The chart below shows insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last year. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! See our latest analysis for Cogstate Cogstate is not the only stock that insiders are buying. For those who like to find small cap companies at attractive valuations, this free list of growing companies with recent insider purchasing, could be just the ticket. For a common shareholder, it is worth checking how many shares are held by company insiders. We usually like to see fairly high levels of insider ownership. Insiders own 37% of Cogstate shares, worth about AU$81m. This level of insider ownership is good but just short of being particularly stand-out. It certainly does suggest a reasonable degree of alignment. It doesn't really mean much that no insider has traded Cogstate shares in the last quarter. On a brighter note, the transactions over the last year are encouraging. Overall we don't see anything to make us think Cogstate insiders are doubting the company, and they do own shares. Therefore, you should definitely take a look at this FREE report showing analyst forecasts for Cogstate . If you would prefer to check out another company -- one with potentially superior financials -- then do not miss this free list of interesting companies, that have HIGH return on equity and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions of direct interests only, but not derivative transactions or indirect interests. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Cogstate Limited Just Recorded A 9.5% Revenue Beat: Here's What Analysts Think
Shareholders of Cogstate Limited (ASX:CGS) will be pleased this week, given that the stock price is up 19% to AU$1.40 following its latest half-yearly results. Results overall were respectable, with statutory earnings of US$0.031 per share roughly in line with what the analyst had forecast. Revenues of US$23m came in 9.5% ahead of analyst predictions. The analyst typically update their forecasts at each earnings report, and we can judge from their estimates whether their view of the company has changed or if there are any new concerns to be aware of. So we gathered the latest post-earnings forecasts to see what estimate suggests is in store for next year. Check out our latest analysis for Cogstate Taking into account the latest results, Cogstate's sole analyst currently expect revenues in 2025 to be US$47.7m, approximately in line with the last 12 months. Statutory earnings per share are expected to dip 7.9% to US$0.039 in the same period. Before this earnings report, the analyst had been forecasting revenues of US$45.0m and earnings per share (EPS) of US$0.028 in 2025. There's been a pretty noticeable increase in sentiment, with the analyst upgrading revenues and making a very substantial lift in earnings per share in particular. Despite these upgrades,the analyst has not made any major changes to their price target of AU$1.50, suggesting that the higher estimates are not likely to have a long term impact on what the stock is worth. One way to get more context on these forecasts is to look at how they compare to both past performance, and how other companies in the same industry are performing. We would highlight that Cogstate's revenue growth is expected to slow, with the forecast 1.9% annualised growth rate until the end of 2025 being well below the historical 13% p.a. growth over the last five years. By way of comparison, the other companies in this industry with analyst coverage are forecast to grow their revenue at 23% per year. Factoring in the forecast slowdown in growth, it seems obvious that Cogstate is also expected to grow slower than other industry participants. The most important thing here is that the analyst upgraded their earnings per share estimates, suggesting that there has been a clear increase in optimism towards Cogstate following these results. Fortunately, they also upgraded their revenue estimates, although our data indicates it is expected to perform worse than the wider industry. There was no real change to the consensus price target, suggesting that the intrinsic value of the business has not undergone any major changes with the latest estimates. With that said, the long-term trajectory of the company's earnings is a lot more important than next year. We have analyst estimates for Cogstate going out as far as 2027, and you can see them free on our platform here. Another thing to consider is whether management and directors have been buying or selling stock recently. We provide an overview of all open market stock trades for the last twelve months on our platform, here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.
