We recently published a list of 10 Micro-, Small-Cap Firms Dominate Thursday’s Gains. In this article, we are going to take a look at where OptiNose Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTN) stands against other micro-, small-cap firms that dominate Thursday’s gains.

The stock market edged lower on Thursday, erasing gains from the previous trading day that was buoyed by the Federal Reserve’s decision to keep rates unchanged.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq decreased by 0.33 percent, the S&P 500 declined by 0.22 percent, and the Dow Jones dipped by 0.03 percent.

On Thursday, investors immediately booked profits following the lack of fresh catalysts to further boost buying appetite.

However, 10 companies under the micro- to small-cap sectors noticeably defied market pessimism, having surged by double to triple digits. In this article, we have identified Thursday’s 10 best performers and detailed the reasons behind their gains.

We classify micro-cap companies as those between $50 million and $300 million in market capitalization, while small-cap firms are those with $300 million and $2 billion in market capitalization.

A white-coat wearing pharmacist holding a bottle of a specialized therapeutic product.

OptiNose Inc. (NASDAQ:OPTN)

OptiNose grew its share prices by 52.50 percent on Thursday to finish at $9.15 apiece as investors took heart from news that it is set to be acquired by Paratek Pharmaceuticals for $330 million.

In a statement on Thursday, Paratek announced that it entered into a definitive merger agreement with OPTN, under which, Paratek will acquire OPTN, including its approved product XHANCE (fluticasone propionate).

After the transaction, OPTN shareholders will expect to receive $14 for each share, including the payment of contingent value rights (CVRs) tied to future commercial milestones.

According to Paratek, the acquisition plan would boost its commercial portfolio beyond the flagship antibiotic NUZYRA.

“We have long recognized the potential of XHANCE to transform how CRS is treated. We have been exploring opportunities to make more patients and doctors aware of XHANCE and the benefits it can offer to patients suffering from this common condition. Paratek, with its robust commercial and medical capabilities, has the potential to rapidly extend awareness of XHANCE to primary care providers who treat the majority of patients with CRS,” said OPTN CEO Ramy Mahmoud.

Overall, OPTN ranks 4th on our list of micro-, small-cap firms that dominate Thursday’s gains. While we acknowledge the potential of OPTN as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is as promising as OPTN but trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.