NEW YORK, Sept. 15 /PRNewswire/ -- Innovest Strategic
Value Advisors (ISVA) announces a new Nanotechnology
Index covering fifteen publicly traded companies
and a watch list of eight development stage firms. While the nanotech industry
offers unique investment opportunities, Innovest's report highlights those
companies that could have an even higher growth potential relative to competitors.
For instance, companies like BASF AG (BAS-FF), Altair Nanotechnologies (ALTI
- Nasdaq) and ApNano (IPO in 2006) scored well for transparency and product
stewardship. While Headwaters (HW-Nasdaq), Nalco (NLC - Nasdaq), Nanodynamics
(private) and Konarka (private) all get high marks for focusing nano efforts
on clean technology applications. Innovest's findings highlight non-traditional
sources of investment risks and out-performance, giving investors unique insight
into factors that could enhance a company's corporate value.
"Companies that move quickly to address perception
issues surrounding nanotechnology are more likely
to do well in highly sensitive markets such as the
EU," said Heather Langsner, Senior Analyst and lead
author of the report. "We identified companies doing
their part to contribute to a better understanding
of potential risks, while remaining committed to
delivering benefits from nanotechnology in medicine,
clean water and energy solutions," she adds.
The release of the index and accompanying report
follows the recent release by Rice University of
a database cataloging all the research being done
to identify the benefits and risks that may be associated
with certain types of nano-engineered materials.
Innovest's full report accompanies the index including
information on market trends, product strategies,
regulatory developments and an overview of company
best practice. The list of fifteen public and the
research group of eight development stage firms were
selected from a broad universe of 300 companies.
The index
(for monitoring purposes) considers the following factors:
-- Experts in the "nano" space are beginning
to warn investors that uncertainty could result in
product backlash and perception risks that could affect
markets for nanomaterials and end-products. Innovest
identified firms that appear to be proactively addressing
these market challenges while others appear to be misinterpreting
the rules for regulatory submission; -- For 2005, approximately
$39 million, 4% of funding for the National Nanotechnology
Initiative, has been allotted for research to study
potential safety issues. A number of observers, including
some in industry, question whether this sum is adequate
given the increasing rate of product commercialization
and challenges in assessing the toxicity of new and
emerging nano-based substances; -- Perception issues
may be mitigated if nanotechnology yields products
offering large scale benefits as opposed to certain
applications currently on the market today that simply
enhance existing products. The market for nanotech
applications in next generation energy technologies
and other cleantech applications is growing. For example,
advanced materials and nanotechnology investments increased
in Q1 2005 to $83.5 million from $68.2 million, a 22.4%
increase over the same quarter a year ago according
to the CleanTech Venture Network. Companies like General
Electric (GE-NYSE) and JMAR Technologies, Inc. (JMAR
- Nasdaq) and others are focusing their nano capabilities
on bringing these types of applications to the market;
The report outlines major developments on the perception and risk issue including:
-- A detailed analysis of what toxicology research has been completed so far
and analysis of the implications for investors. This includes a timeline for
the release of pending scientific research that may impact the investment landscape;
--
A survey of regulatory developments in Europe,
the US, Japan and China;
--
Recommendations for what firms can be doing to
reveal hidden value amidst these challenges,
and;
--
Full company profiles on the 15 index companies
and notes on the eight research group companies.
About
Innovest Innovest
Strategic Value Advisors is an internationally
recognized investment research and advisory firm
specializing in the analysis of non- traditional
sources of investment risk and out-performance.
Innovest's major strategic investor is ABP, the
largest pension fund in Europe. Its chairman, Jim
Martin, was chief investment officer for TIAA-CREF,
one of the largest pension funds in the world,
for over fifteen years. The firm's founder and
Chief Executive, Dr. Matthew Kiernan, is a former
partner with KPMG and director of the World Council
for Sustainable Development in Geneva. In addition
to ABP, the firm's other clients include Cazenove
Capital, BP Investments, Henderson Global Investors,
HSBC Asset Management, UBS and the England & Wales Environment Agency.
The firm currently has over £1.1 billion million under direct sub-advisory
mandates, and has clients in 20 countries.
Source: Innovest Strategic Value Advisors CONTACT: New York - Hewson Baltzell, +1-212-421-2000 ext 215,
hbaltzell@innovestgroup.com ,
or London - Nicola Simpson, +44-20-7073-0477,
nsimpson@innovestgroup.com ,
both of Innovest Strategic Value Advisors
Web site: http://www.innovestgroup.com/
|
