Despite the S&P/ASX 200 Index (ASX: XJO) plummeting lower in 2020, shares in ASX 200 healthcare group Polynovo Ltd (ASX: PNV) are still up 102% in the last 12 months. That's good news for existing shareholders, but is there still time to buy in?
Why Polynovo shares are up 100% in the last year
I'll start by saying that Polynovo has not been immune to the recent market correction. The Polynovo share price is down 32.75% since the start of March in the current bear market. If anything, that correction makes its share price growth even more impressive.
Polynovo hit a new record high of $3.28 per share in February – 446% higher than where it started the 2019 calendar year. These are impressive numbers that put it up there with the ASX tech shares like Afterpay Ltd (ASX: APT).
The ASX 200 healthcare group specialises in burns treatment and skin cell recovery. Its NovoSorb BTM product is a dermal scaffold that helps skin regeneration when lost through surgery or burns. There's no doubt that Polynovo is making waves around the world right now. Several high-profile sales and ringing endorsements from medical experts have also pushed the share price higher.
Is it too late to buy Polynovo shares?
Polynovo CEO Paul Brennan told the Australian Financial Review on 26 February that there was "no logical basis" for the share price plummeting lower. The group does have "lumpy" revenue and is currently loss-making. In Polynovo's half-year results, the ASX 200 healthcare group recorded a 79.9% increase in half-year revenue to $10.2 million and a net loss after tax down 25.0% to $2.4 million.
I think Polynovo is definitely worth keeping an eye on right now. Since the share price started falling in late February, there have been 9 director share purchase ASX announcements. That means company insiders are seeing this as an opportunity to snap up a bargain.
If Polynovo can deliver strong revenue in August, the current $1.54 valuation could turn out to be an absolute steal.
