GERON CORP

Where It Passes

Where It Falls Short

• Profitability0% pass✓ 1✗ 34▾

  No clean pass — all 16 investors flag at least one profitability criterion

  Positive EPS (10 years)0/27 years positive

  ✗GrahamPositive EPS every year for 10 years

  EPS Growth (3-yr avg, 10-yr window)

  ✗Graham>= 33% growth

  Net Income Positive (10+ years)1/27 years positive

  ✗BuffettPositive every year for 10+ years

  ROE (up to 5-year arithmetic mean)-88.5%

  ✗Buffett> 15% arithmetic mean (app rule)

  Operating Margin (10-yr trend)-81832.9% (latest)

  ✗BuffettStable or rising over 10 years

  Free Cash Flow Proxy$-174.6M

  ✗BuffettPositive and growing

  Earnings Variance (10-yr CoV)

  ✗BuffettCoV < 0.3

  Retained Earnings Effectiveness

  ✗Buffett$1 retained -> > $1 market value created

  Basic earnings-growth PEG (dividends excluded)

  ✗Lynch< 1.0 (ideally < 0.5)

  3-5 Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Lynch15-30% (Fast Grower); > 0% to pass

  ROE-21.1%

  ✗Lynch> 15%

  EBIT / Enterprise Value-4.8%

  ✗Greenblatt> 10%

  Earnings Yield + ROC AssessmentEY=-4.8%, ROC=-9.8%

  ✗GreenblattBoth EY > 10% and ROC > 25%

  Net Income / Total Assets-14.64%

  ✗PiotroskiROA > 0

  ROA Change YoY-29.40% -> -14.64% (delta: +14.76%)

  ✓PiotroskiCurrent ROA > Prior ROA

  (CFO / Total Assets) vs ROACFO/Assets=-19.46%, ROA=-14.64%

  ✗PiotroskiCFO/Assets > ROA

  Gross Margin Change YoY

  ✗PiotroskiImproved YoY

  Pre-Tax Income / Revenue

  ✗Dreman>= 8%

  Net Income / Shareholders' Equity-21.1%

  ✗Dreman> 12%

  Margin of SafetyP/B=2.8x

  ✗PabraiP/B < 1.5 or P/E < 15

  Return on Equity-57.8% (3-yr avg)

  ✗AkreROE > 20% (3-year avg)

  Discount to Intrinsic ValueN/A (negative normalized EPS)

  ✗Marks>= 20% below intrinsic value

  Positive Net Income Frequency1/17 years positive

  ✗MarksPositive net income in >= 7 of last 10 years

  Operating Income / Revenue

  ✗Ackman>= 15%

  Net Income / Shareholders Equity-21.1%

  ✗Ackman>= 15%

  5-Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Templeton> 0% (5-year EPS CAGR)

  Operating Margin Trend

  ✗TempletonNon-negative operating-margin trend over 3 years

  Revenue growth vs. gross and operating margin trend

  ✗SleepRevenue rising; gross margin flat or falling; operating margin holding

  Net income / market capitalization-7.68%; #4062/6340 (top 64.1%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  Gross profit / total assets

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  Net income / positive book equity-21.10%; #3715/5226 (top 71.1%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  Negative 5-year standard deviation of ROA-0.2031; #4248/5884 (top 72.2%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  3-5 Year Diluted EPS CAGR

  ✗Neff7%-20% annualized

  Positive Diluted-EPS Years0/10 years positive

  ✗Schloss>= 70% positive over 5-10 observed years (app rule)
• Valuation0% pass✓ 1✗ 27▾

  No clean pass — all 13 investors flag at least one valuation criterion

  Price / 3-yr avg EPS

  ✗Graham<= 15x

  Price-to-Book Ratio2.8x

  ✗Graham<= 1.5x

  P/E x P/B

  ✗Graham<= 22.5

  Basic earnings-growth PEG (dividends excluded)

  ✗Lynch< 1.0 (ideally < 0.5)

  EBIT / Enterprise Value-4.8%

  ✗Greenblatt> 10%

  Earnings Yield + ROC AssessmentEY=-4.8%, ROC=-9.8%

  ✗GreenblattBoth EY > 10% and ROC > 25%

  Price / EPS

  ✗Dreman< 12x✗Templeton< 12x (fixed ceiling; proxy for the market's cheapest 40%)

  Price / (CFO / Shares)N/A (negative CFPS)

  ✗Dreman< 8x

  Price / Book Value per Share2.8x

  ✗Dreman< 1.2x✗Templeton< 1.5x✗SchlossP/B <= 0.80x (app cutoff)

  Valuation ReasonablenessOE Yield=-13.4%

  ✗MungerP/E < 25 or Owner Earnings Yield > 5%

  P/E or FCF Yield

  ✗PabraiP/E < 15 or FCF Yield > 10%

  P/B or P/E vs. Historical AverageP/B=2.8x

  ✗MarksP/E < 15 or P/B < 2.0

  Discount to Intrinsic ValueN/A (negative normalized EPS)

  ✗Marks>= 20% below intrinsic value

  Price / FCF per Share

  ✗Ackman<= 25

  Price vs. Trailing Low102% of trailing low ($0.95)

  ✓Templeton<= 120% of trailing low (certified split-adjusted live window)

  Net income / market capitalization-7.68%; #4062/6340 (top 64.1%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  Positive book equity / market capitalization+0.3639; #3416/6449 (top 53.0%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section

  Price / Diluted EPS

  ✗NeffP/E <= 15x (app proxy for a P/E 40%-60% below the market)

  (EPS CAGR % + Dividend Yield %) / P/E

  ✗Neff> 0.7 (Neff's published traditional edge)

  Price / Tangible Book Value per Share2.75x

  ✗SchlossP/TBV <= 1.00x (app cutoff)

  Book Value per Share Change

  ✗SchlossLatest BVPS >= earliest BVPS over >= 3 years (app rule)

  Revenue / market capitalization

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  (Operating cash flow - capex) / market capitalization

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section

  Trailing six-month price return through the evaluation date-41.92%; #4878/6202 (top 78.7%)

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section
• Cash Flow0% pass✗ 12▾

  All 10 investors flag GERN's cash flow

  Free Cash Flow Proxy$-174.6M

  ✗BuffettPositive and growing

  FCF Positive and Growing$-219.3M

  ✗LynchPositive and growing

  Operating Cash Flow$-111.0M

  ✗PiotroskiCFO > 0

  (CFO / Total Assets) vs ROACFO/Assets=-19.46%, ROA=-14.64%

  ✗PiotroskiCFO/Assets > ROA

  Price / (CFO / Shares)N/A (negative CFPS)

  ✗Dreman< 8x

  P/E or FCF Yield

  ✗PabraiP/E < 15 or FCF Yield > 10%

  FCF Positive1/18 years FCF positive

  ✗MarksPositive FCF in majority of recent years

  (OCF - CapEx) / Market Cap

  ✗Ackman>= 4%

  Price / FCF per Share

  ✗Ackman<= 25

  Positive Operating Cash Flow frequency1/20 years positive

  ✗SleepPositive OCF in >= 70% of available years

  Operating Cash Flow - Capital Expenditures

  ✗Neff> $0 (app proxy for a strong fundamental case)

  (Operating cash flow - capex) / market capitalization

  ✗OshaughnessyTop 10% of eligible cross-section
• Growth0% pass✗ 13▾

  All 8 investors flag GERN's growth

  EPS Growth (3-yr avg, 10-yr window)

  ✗Graham>= 33% growth

  Basic earnings-growth PEG (dividends excluded)

  ✗Lynch< 1.0 (ideally < 0.5)

  3-5 Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Lynch15-30% (Fast Grower); > 0% to pass

  Inventory Growth vs Revenue Growth

  ✗LynchInventory growth < Revenue growth

  EPS Growth Direction

  ✗DremanPositive over recent years

  EPS CAGR

  ✗Dreman> 5% annualized

  Positive Net Income Frequency1/17 years positive

  ✗MarksPositive net income in >= 7 of last 10 years

  3yr Median Revenue Growth-60.2%

  ✗Ackman>= 5%

  Positive EPS Growth Frequency

  ✗AckmanPositive EPS growth in >= 3 of last 5 years

  5-Year EPS CAGR

  ✗Templeton> 0% (5-year EPS CAGR)

  Revenue growth vs. gross and operating margin trend

  ✗SleepRevenue rising; gross margin flat or falling; operating margin holding

  5-year Revenue CAGR

  ✗SleepCAGR > 7%

  3-5 Year Diluted EPS CAGR

  ✗Neff7%-20% annualized
• Verdicts0% pass✗ 15▾

  Split decision: 14 FAIL · 2 NEUTRAL

  Overall verdict

  ✗GrahamFAIL (2/9)✗BuffettFAIL (0/9)✗LynchFAIL (0/7)✗GreenblattRank #2049✗PiotroskiFAIL (F-Score 1)✗DremanFAIL (2/11)✗MungerFAIL (0/4)✗PabraiFAIL (0/3)✗AkreFAIL (0/6)✗MarksFAIL (0/5)✗AckmanFAIL (1/9)✗TempletonFAIL (3/8)✗SleepFAIL (0/6)•AsnessNEUTRAL (Not ranked)✗NeffFAIL (0/6)✗SchlossFAIL (2/7)•OshaughnessyNEUTRAL (Not ranked)
• Efficiency25% pass✓ 2✗ 9▾

  6 of 8 flag GERN's efficiency — Buffett, Greenblatt, Piotroski +3 more

  Current Ratio6.31

  ✓Graham>= 2.0

  ROIC (3-5 yr avg)-66.6%

  ✗Buffett> 10%

  ROIC - WACC-76.6%

  ✗BuffettPositive (WACC = 10%)

  EBIT / (NWC + Net Fixed Assets)-9.8%

  ✗Greenblatt> 25%

  Current Ratio Change YoY5.56 -> 4.66

  ✗PiotroskiIncreased YoY

  Revenue / Total Assets Change YoY

  ✗PiotroskiImproved YoY

  Current Assets / Current Liabilities6.31

  ✓Dreman> 1.5

  Return on Invested Capital-7.3%

  ✗Munger> 15%

  ROIC (high and growing)FY2023: ROIC=-46.4%; FY2024: ROIC=-34.4%; FY2025: ROIC=-15.7%

  ✗AkreLatest 3 consecutive FYs: ROIC > 15% in each

  Reinvestment Rate x ROICN/A (non-positive net income)

  ✗AkreReinvestment Rate * ROIC > 10%

  ROIC (5-year)0/5 years above 12% (latest -15.7%)

  ✗SleepROIC > 12% in a majority of years
• Debt & Leverage42% pass✓ 7✗ 8▾

  7 of 12 flag GERN's debt & leverage — Buffett, Lynch, Piotroski +4 more

  LT Debt vs Net Current AssetsLT Debt $120.4M vs NCA $394.5M

  ✓GrahamLT Debt <= Net Current Assets

  Debt/Equity & Interest CoverageD/E: 0.53, IC: -1.1x

  ✗BuffettD/E < 0.5 AND Interest Coverage > 5x

  Total Debt / Equity0.53

  ✗Lynch< 0.33

  Cash - Long-term Debt$-51.3M

  ✗LynchPositive preferred

  LT Debt / Total Assets Change19.95% -> 20.95%

  ✗PiotroskiDecreased YoY

  Current Assets / Current Liabilities6.31

  ✓Dreman> 1.5✓SchlossCurrent ratio >= 1.50x (app cutoff)

  Total Debt / Shareholders' Equity0.53

  ✓Dreman< 0.8✓Templeton< 1.0 (fixed cap; proxy for below-sector-median leverage)✓SchlossD/E < 1.00x

  Debt Levels0.53

  ✗MungerDebt/Equity < 0.5✗AkreDebt/Equity < 0.3

  Interest Coverage & Debt/EBITDAIC=-1.1x, D/EBITDA=N/A

  ✗MarksInterest Coverage > 3x; Debt/EBITDA < 4x

  Total Debt / Shareholders Equity0.53

  ✓Ackman<= 1.0

  Negative debt-to-equity (higher means less debt)-0.5313; #2532/4210 (top 60.1%)

  ✗AsnessTop 30% of eligible cross-section