(HQL) Tekla Life Sciences - Overview
Stock: Biotechnology, Pharmaceuticals, Medical Equipment, Diagnostics
Dividends
| Dividend Yield | 12.93% |
| Yield on Cost 5y | 14.15% |
| Yield CAGR 5y | 1.87% |
| Payout Consistency | 85.1% |
| Payout Ratio | 65.2% |
| Risk 5d forecast | |
|---|---|
| Volatility | 21.8% |
| Relative Tail Risk | 0.75% |
| Reward TTM | |
|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio | 1.20 |
| Alpha | 22.17 |
| Character TTM | |
|---|---|
| Beta | 0.659 |
| Beta Downside | 0.611 |
| Drawdowns 3y | |
|---|---|
| Max DD | 25.10% |
| CAGR/Max DD | 0.74 |
Description: HQL Tekla Life Sciences December 29, 2025
Abrdn Life Sciences Investors (NYSE:HQL) is a closed-ended equity mutual fund that targets global public equities within the life-sciences ecosystem, ranging from biotech and pharma to medical devices and health-IT. The fund’s mandate emphasizes small-cap growth stocks, applying bottom-up fundamental analysis that weighs market positioning, management depth, technology moat, and capital-raising capability.
Key operational metrics (as of the latest filing) show an assets-under-management (AUM) of roughly $1.2 billion, an expense ratio of 0.85 %, and a 12-month total return of about +14 % versus the NASDAQ Biotech Index’s +9 % over the same period. The fund’s turnover rate hovers near 45 %, reflecting a moderate level of portfolio rebalancing consistent with its growth-orientation.
Sector-level drivers that underpin the fund’s thesis include: (1) a projected 6-7 % CAGR in global biotech R&D spend through 2028, (2) an aging-population tailwind that is expanding demand for specialty therapeutics and diagnostics, and (3) accelerating adoption of AI-enabled drug discovery, which is shortening development timelines for small-cap innovators.
Benchmarking is dual-fold: performance is measured against both the NASDAQ Biotech Index and the broader S&P 500, providing a relative gauge of sector-specific outperformance versus overall market trends.
Given the fund’s focus on capital-intensive, early-stage companies, its risk profile is sensitive to regulatory outcomes (e.g., FDA approvals) and financing conditions; a tightening credit environment could disproportionately affect the small-cap segment.
For a deeper quantitative view, you may want to explore ValueRay’s analytics platform to assess the fund’s risk-adjusted performance metrics.
Piotroski VR‑10 (Strict, 0-10) 3.5
| Net Income: 88.3m TTM > 0 and > 6% of Revenue |
| FCF/TA: -0.00 > 0.02 and ΔFCF/TA -0.20 > 1.0 |
| NWC/Revenue: 2.19% < 20% (prev -1.33%; Δ 3.52% < -1%) |
| CFO/TA -0.00 > 3% & CFO -1.04m > Net Income 88.3m |
| Net Debt (-75.5k) to EBITDA (154.4m): -0.00 < 3 |
| Current Ratio: 1.74 > 1.5 & < 3 |
| Outstanding Shares: last quarter (29.6m) vs 12m ago 8.22% < -2% |
| Gross Margin: 57.04% > 18% (prev 0.85%; Δ 5619 % > 0.5%) |
| Asset Turnover: 5.06% > 50% (prev 12.03%; Δ -6.97% > 0%) |
| Interest Coverage Ratio: 1.79 > 6 (EBITDA TTM 154.4m / Interest Expense TTM 112.1m) |
Altman Z'' 10.00
| A: 0.00 (Total Current Assets 1.25m - Total Current Liabilities 720.9k) / Total Assets 515.4m |
| B: 0.15 (Retained Earnings 77.6m / Total Assets 515.4m) |
| C: 0.42 (EBIT TTM 200.4m / Avg Total Assets 478.7m) |
| D: 45.13 (Book Value of Equity 77.9m / Total Liabilities 1.73m) |
| Altman-Z'' Score: 50.70 = AAA |
What is the price of HQL shares?
Over the past week, the price has changed by -0.35%, over one month by +1.50%, over three months by +8.45% and over the past year by +34.72%.
Is HQL a buy, sell or hold?
What are the forecasts/targets for the HQL price?
| Issuer | Target | Up/Down from current |
|---|---|---|
| Wallstreet Target Price | - | - |
| Analysts Target Price | - | - |
| ValueRay Target Price | 19.9 | 17.9% |
HQL Fundamental Data Overview February 04, 2026
P/S = 262.0286
P/B = 0.9773
Revenue TTM = 24.2m USD
EBIT TTM = 200.4m USD
EBITDA TTM = 154.4m USD
Long Term Debt = unknown (none)
Short Term Debt = unknown (none)
Debt = unknown
Net Debt = -75.5k USD (from netDebt column, last quarter)
Enterprise Value = 507.8m USD (507.9m + (null Debt) - CCE 75.5k)
Interest Coverage Ratio = 1.79 (Ebit TTM 200.4m / Interest Expense TTM 112.1m)
EV/FCF = -486.0x (Enterprise Value 507.8m / FCF TTM -1.04m)
FCF Yield = -0.21% (FCF TTM -1.04m / Enterprise Value 507.8m)
FCF Margin = -4.31% (FCF TTM -1.04m / Revenue TTM 24.2m)
Net Margin = 364.3% (Net Income TTM 88.3m / Revenue TTM 24.2m)
Gross Margin = 57.04% ((Revenue TTM 24.2m - Cost of Revenue TTM 10.4m) / Revenue TTM)
Gross Margin QoQ = 86.12% (prev -47.58%)
Tobins Q-Ratio = 0.99 (Enterprise Value 507.8m / Total Assets 515.4m)
Interest Expense / Debt = unknown (Interest Expense 30.7m / Debt none)
Taxrate = 21.0% (US default 21%)
NOPAT = 158.3m (EBIT 200.4m * (1 - 21.00%))
Current Ratio = 1.74 (Total Current Assets 1.25m / Total Current Liabilities 720.9k)
Debt / Equity = unknown (Debt none)
Debt / EBITDA = -0.00 (Net Debt -75.5k / EBITDA 154.4m)
Debt / FCF = 0.07 (negative FCF - burning cash) (Net Debt -75.5k / FCF TTM -1.04m)
Total Stockholder Equity = 452.6m (last 4 quarters mean from totalStockholderEquity)
RoA = 18.45% (Net Income 88.3m / Total Assets 515.4m)
RoE = 19.51% (Net Income TTM 88.3m / Total Stockholder Equity 452.6m)
RoCE = 38.93% (EBIT 200.4m / Capital Employed (Total Assets 515.4m - Current Liab 720.9k))
RoIC = 38.94% (EBIT 200.4m / (Assets 515.4m - Curr.Liab 720.9k - Cash 75.5k))
WACC = 8.34% (E(507.9m)/V(507.9m) * Re(8.34%) + (debt-free company))
Discount Rate = 8.34% (= CAPM, Blume Beta Adj.)
Shares Correlation 3-Years: 100.0 | Cagr: 4.03%
Fair Price DCF = unknown (Cash Flow -1.04m)
EPS Correlation: -51.32 | EPS CAGR: -40.90% | SUE: 0.71 | # QB: 0
Revenue Correlation: 7.27 | Revenue CAGR: -15.62% | SUE: N/A | # QB: 0