AB Analytical Services

SEC Suspends $FRTD Yet Market Rallies

 

 Summary

• FINRA and the SEC have been actively policing the cannabis stocks.
• Fortitude Group was the 8th suspension since early March.
• The company issued a bold press release earlier in the week that likely triggered the suspension.
• Unlike recent suspensions, the market shook off the Fortitude Group's.

On Friday, May 23rd, the SEC suspended the 8th company in the cannabis sector since early March. The company, Fortitude Group (OTCPK:FRTD), was the third "Pink Sheet" in the group to suffer this type of action this month, with CannaBusiness Group (OTC:CBGI) suspended on May 7th and FusionPharm (OTC:FSPM) suspended on May 16th. The SEC lists all of the suspensions going back to 1995 here. In the case of FRTD, the order suggested:

there is a lack of current and accurate information concerning the securities of Fortitude Group, Inc. because of questions regarding the accuracy of publicly available information about the company's operations.

The SEC actions have taken a tremendous toll on the sector, with the Benzinga 420 Marijuana Index declining from a peak closing value of 1010 on 3/18 to a recent low of 367 on 5/21, a decline of 64%:

 

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Medical Marijuana, Inc. Prepares To Spit Out Canchew Biotechnologies

Summary

• MJNA has quietly prepared to spin out a subsidiary, Canchew Biotechnologies.
• Canchew Biotechnologies has failed to gain traction with its lead product.
• The transaction is unlikely to create value for MJNA shareholders.

Medical Marijuana, Inc. (OTCPK:MJNA) hasn't said a word about it, but a careful read of the SEC filings of Axim International (OTCQB:AXIM) indicates that MJNA will soon spin out its stake in a joint venture. MJNA's operating results have been lackluster, and the company likely feels pressured to generate additional non-operating revenues in order to avoid the appearance of declining fundamentals. MJNA reported 2013 net income of $24.6mm, but over 99% of these "profits", the vast majority of which is illiquid stock that has never been sold, was from the CannaVest (OTCQB:CANV) transaction (source: annual disclosure).

 

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