Things certainly did not go as expected in 2019 for the cannabis industry. It was expected to be a year of breakthroughs, with growth in Canadian recreational weed sales and additional U.S. legalizations pushing the broader industry toward profitability. But by year's end, the vast majority of cannabis stocks remained unprofitable, and pot stocks took a beating.
The good news, if there is any to be had, is that growth in the most lucrative marijuana market in the world, the United States, should pick up significantly in 2020. The upcoming November elections should see a number of new states legalizing medical or recreational cannabis, and core markets like California are believed to be making progress in combating their significant black market presence. This potentially puts U.S. multistate operators (MSO) in great shape to realize an increase in sales in 2020.
What MSOs are best positioned to realize these gains? While that'll depend on the states they choose to pursue and the number of stores per state, the following six MSOs have the broadest presence in the United States.