Update On CBD-Infused Beverage Contenders And Pretenders

The CBD-infused beverage market is one of the few bright spots in the marijuana-related sector.
 
Shares of the companies which claimed to be developing a CBD-infused beverage raced higher back in September.
 
A lot of the excitement was justified (the CBD-infused beverage market will be measured in the billions as CBD becomes legalized around the world), but not all the stock run-ups were even close to justified.
 
The Seed Investor put together a list of CBD-infused beverage contenders and pretenders to keep our readers from getting hurt when the frenzy inevitably faded.
 
Here we are almost two months later and the difference between the pretenders and contenders couldn’t be more striking.
 
The pretenders have collapsed (one has even been delisted) and the contenders have sidestepped the marijuana stock downturn are even up.
 
Here’s our updated list with a few updates.
 
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India Globalization Corp. (IGCC) – Down 60%
 
We published our list of contenders and pretenders on September 19th when IGCC was $2.00.
 
It went on to more than $14 a share.
 
How wrong were we?
 
We were dead right.
 
IGCC shares have collapsed to $0.80 and the company is under investigation.
  
Verdict: Downgraded from Pretender to Total Joke
 
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Koios Beverage (CAN:KBEV / USA:KBEVF) – Down 37%
 
This Canadian company didn’t really have much.
 
It’s the smallest of the group of CBD-infused beverage plays and it was behind the contenders from the start.
 
Shares continue to decline and without the distribution or the capital of the contenders we’ve identified, the downtrend will continue.
 
Verdict: Still a Pretender
 
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New Age Beverages (NBEV) – Up 5%
 
NBEV was one of the hottest stocks in the CBD-infused beverage frenzy.
 
However, the company was merely associated with CBD-infused beverages because of an off-hand remark by the company at a conference.
 
We noted at the time “the market is still waiting on concrete plan, details, partnerships, or any specifics.”
 
We just got some specifics.
 
NBEV bought out Morinda Holdings, a Utah-based CBD-infused beverage maker, for $85 million.
 
Verdict: Still a Contender
 
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Alkaline Water Company (WTER) – Up 21%
 
It’s no surprise WTER shares are topping the CBD-infused sector to the Seed Investor.
 
The company has all the advantages you could want in the CBD-infused beverage race.
 
Today it confirmed its further intentions by seeking and getting approval to trade on the Nasdaq.
 
The shares will commence trading on December 10, 2018.
 
Verdict: Still a Contender