Find stocks like THAR - that haven’t squeezed yet so I can invest for quick turnaround.
8/21/2025 06:00am
**Quick-strike watch-list 🏴☠️**
Below are three sub-$5 healthcare micro-caps with (1) very high short-interest, (2) no big price pop yet, and (3) a clearly dated news catalyst in the next few weeks. Any of them could squeeze sharply—**if** the coming headline breaks in their favor.
| Ticker | Price (20 Aug) | Est. Short Float | Float (M) | Near-dated Catalyst (≤ 30 days) | Why it could double/triple | Key Risk |
|--------|---------------|------------------|-----------|----------------------------------|---------------------------|----------|
| **REVB** | $2.53 | ≈ 18 % | 1.5 | Phase-1b CKD “Gemini” data **due late Q3** (company says “this quarter”) | Even a small proof-of-concept win lets mgmt meet FDA and unlock a much larger CKD/P-surgical infection program; float is tiny so any buying frenzy bites hard. | Failure or delay would send shares back toward $1; cash only funds ops to Dec-25. |
| **XXII** | $2.19 | ≈ 19 % | 0.5 | FDA to publish proposed **Nicotine-Yield Standard by 15 Sep** | Rule could mandate ultra-low-nicotine cigarettes—exactly the company’s VLN® niche. Letter on 20 Aug mentions new distributors but Street hasn’t noticed. | If the rule slips or is watered down, tobacco bulls dump and the high short float presses lower. |
| **ONCO** | $2.73 | ≈ 16 % | 0.52 | Q2 earnings & ENTADFI debt update **on 26 Aug**; mgmt guiding on cash runway | A clean balance-sheet narrative (note refinancing + new prostate-drug revenues) could flip sentiment fast; stock is –8 % in the past month despite progress. | Any negative 10-Q surprise will reinforce going-concern worries. |
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### Why these names look “THAR-like” 🤏💥
1. **Micro-floats** – all three trade with fewer than 2 million freely-traded shares, so a modest volume spike can snowball.
2. **High short exposure** – >10 % of float is shorted, giving fuel for a squeeze.
3. **Clear headline clocks** – each company has publicly committed to a data read-out, regulatory verdict, or earnings release within the next 2-4 weeks.
4. **No prior mega-run** – 20-day price moves range from –21 % (APDN) to +14 % (XAGE) in our broader screen; the three finalists are still flat/down, unlike THAR’s 200 % burst.
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### How to trade the setup ⚔️
• **Position-size ruthlessly.** Treat each as a biotech lottery ticket—1-2 % of portfolio max.
• **Use bracket orders.** For example, in REVB a stop just below $2.00 and staggered sells at $4 / $6 let you capture upside without second-guessing.
• **Watch the tape before the date.** Unusual options prints or >5× volume the day before news often leaks sentiment.
• **Have an exit plan.** These rallies can evaporate in hours once the headline is digested.
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### Final word 🎯
If you loved THAR’s eruption, **REVB, XXII and ONCO offer the next best shot** at a quick double/triple—provided you’re comfortable with binary-event risk and can hit the eject button fast. Good hunting—and keep those stops tight! 🚀
*This is educational commentary, **not** financial advice. Do your own due diligence.*
: Revelation Biosciences press release announcing Phase-1b data “later this quarter.”
: 22nd Century CEO letter detailing VLN® rollout and Sept-15 FDA nicotine-yield rule timing.
: Onconetix 10-Q and promissory-note filing outlining August 6–14 debt amendments and upcoming disclosure.