Pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts (ESRX), which I first wrote about on June 9, 2009, at a 2-for-1 split-adjusted price of $31.82, zipped through major, psychological resistance at $50 this winter. It pushed $59, before pulling back slightly, but I obviously still like the business model at this juncture.

Look for the company's 2011 revenue to rise 3% to 5% on new accounts and the NextRx PBM purchase, after a nearly doubling of revenue in 2010.

Continue reading Has the Express Scripts Pullback Created an Opportunity?

Has the Express Scripts Pullback Created an Opportunity? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 14 Mar 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) is a Danish pharmaceutical company that focuses on diabetes care and biopharmaceuticals," notes Nicholas Vardy.

The editor of the Global Bull Market Alert explains, "Novo Nordisk is a quiet giant, employing 30,000 people in 76 countries; we think investors could double their money with this profit machine.

"More than 200 million people worldwide suffer from some form of diabetes. Patients with type 1 (juvenile) diabetes can't make insulin at all and need to inject it their whole lives.

Continue reading Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO): Health Care 'Profit Machine'

Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO): Health Care 'Profit Machine' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"Accretive Health (AH) has been a solid performer in our Fast-Track Portfolio, jumping from $13 to nearly $20 in six months," notes Andy Obermueller.

The editor of Fast-Track Millionaire -- who focuses on long-term growth stocks -- explains, "I admit, the company is not very sexy -- helping hospitals maximize their revenue cycle. But what I've been looking at with the company is very alluring indeed.

Continue reading Accretive Health (AH): Hospital Returns

Accretive Health (AH): Hospital Returns originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This post is one in a series in which more than 60 newsletter advisors share their Top Stock Picks for 2011. This special report is courtesy of TheStockAdvisors.com.

"For over 50 years, Medtronic (MDT) has been the premier medical device manufacturer in the marketplace," notes Jim Stack.

The money manager and editor of InvesTech Market Analyst explains, "With the invention of the battery-powered pacemaker in the mid 1950s, Medtronic began a long string of technological innovations.

Continue reading Top Picks 2011: Medtronic (MDT)

Top Picks 2011: Medtronic (MDT) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 04 Jan 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Express Scripts (ESRX): The Right Prescription?

Express Scripts (ESRX): The Right Prescription? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"I love going to health care conferences, where companies often reveal new technologies, groundbreaking drugs, or novel ways of attacking diseases," says Marc Lichtenfeld.

The contributing editor to Investment U explains, "Here's a review of four interesting presentations I recently saw at LifeTech Capital's small-cap health care conference in Miami: Inovio Pharmaceuticals (INO), Nabi Pharmaceuticals (NABI), NeoStem (NBS), and Oculus Innovative Sciences (OCLS).

Continue reading Health Care Conference Highlights Speculative Innovators

Health Care Conference Highlights Speculative Innovators originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 23 Nov 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Three Health Care Stocks to Sell: Amgen, Baxter, Becton Dickinson

Three Health Care Stocks to Sell: Amgen, Baxter, Becton Dickinson originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 22 Jul 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Johnson & Johnson: A Longer-Term Play, for Now

Johnson & Johnson: A Longer-Term Play, for Now originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In his The Fidelity Investor, the advisor looks to his latest our Spotlight Fund -- Fidelity Health Care (FSPHX), which he believes is well positioned for both its offensive and defensive qualities

Continue reading Fidelity Heath Care (FSPHX): Pure Play in Health Care

Fidelity Heath Care (FSPHX): Pure Play in Health Care originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NASDAQ: TEVA) engages in the development, production, and sale of a range of generic and branded pharmaceuticals, biogenerics, and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) worldwide.

The long-term chart shows a stock that has never been in a bear market.

The recent resistance line is merely a pause in its long-term upward march, and it was broken by heavy buying in April. Teva ran to a new all-time high above $55, and then pulled back on profit-taking.

Continue reading Technical trade #3: Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA)

Technical trade #3: Teva Pharmaceutical (TEVA) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The earnings crunch is on. Among the many companies scheduled to report quarterly results this week are such so-called bellwether stocks as Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN), Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT), Coca-Cola Co. (NYSE: KO), DuPont (NYSE: DD), and United Parcel Service Inc. (NYSE: UPS), all of which analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect to report lower earnings for the recent quarter. Altria Group Inc. (NYSE: MO), McDonald's Corp. (NYSE: MCD), and Raytheon Co. (NYSE: RTN), on the other hand, are expected to post marginal earnings growth.

Continue reading The week in preview: Eye on financial, tech, health care earnings

The week in preview: Eye on financial, tech, health care earnings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 19 Apr 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Some believe health care is the Holy Grail for investors in this horrible market, but I'm not so convinced.

When everyone jumps on a bandwagon, I usually like to jump off. It seems like everyone is preaching the merits of owning health care stocks. And when I say everyone, I mean everyone. Even the barber is touting this sector as a place to be during this recession and beyond. We shall see about that.

Instead of focusing on the space, how about looking at a specific name?

Continue reading Recession-proof stock #5: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Recession-proof stock #5: Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 29 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Consumer health care companies are traditionally great recession plays, because no matter what happens in the economy, people still need their medicine.

For more than 100 years, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) has supplied the world with what it needs to ameliorate its ailments.

In addition to marquee consumer brands such as Band-Aid and Tylenol, Johnson & Johnson provides the world with a myriad of prescription drugs, medical devices and medical treatments that keep us all healthy.

The healing power -- and the earnings power -- of Johnson & Johnson's products has contributed to the well-being of both consumers and investors for a very long time.

And while shareholders may justifiably feel ill about the stock over the last several months, the company's long-term growth prospects will likely serve as a veritable love potion for investors in the years to come.

Take a look at all ten stocks to fall in love with again.

Jim Woods is a Senior Editor for OptionsZone.com.

Ten stocks to fall in love with again: #8 Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 14 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Humana (NYSE: HUM) reported earnings below analysts' expectations for the fourth quarter of 2008, spurring a quick sell-off of more than 3%.

The stock quickly recovered, due in part to the better-than-expected ISM report, and closed up almost 6% at $40.13.

Humana is one of the nations' largest providers of employer-based health care plans. Humana offers group health and dental plans for individuals and serves the health care needs of military families and seniors through a series of specialized plans.

The fourth-quarter earnings report disappointed analysts initially, as the report revealed a larger-than-expected decline in earnings of 28% from the previous year's fourth quarter.

Continue reading Humana sputters, then hums

Humana sputters, then hums originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 19:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

"You can invest for all the right reasons and still get the wrong result," notes long-standing turnaround stock expert George Putnam, referring to the poor performance of the pharmaceutical sector in recent years.

Here, in his industry-leading The Turnaround Letter, he offers a fascinating review of 10 leading drug stocks which he now believes offer a combination of growth potential at "pretty cheap" valuations. Here is his overview.

"In 2000 and 2001, when the Internet boom was becoming a bust, many smart investors turned away from technology stocks and put their money into drug stocks. How could you go wrong with the big pharmaceutical companies?

"Demand for their products was growing as the population aged. These companies had huge research
and development programs that seemed to keep cranking out new blockbuster drugs. And most of them had great balance sheets, with many paying handsome dividends.

"Much of this reasoning has been borne out in the intervening years. Many large drug manufacturers have rung up substantial revenue gains over the last decade. So what's happened to the big drug stocks? With few exceptions they have gone sideways or down - in some cases down a lot.

Continue reading Turnaround time for drug stocks? 10 top picks

Turnaround time for drug stocks? 10 top picks originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 10:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Two leading advisors with noted expertise in the biotech sector have both been long-term fans of Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG), both holding the stock in their respective model portfolios.

Here, Nate Pile, editor of Nate's Notes, and John McCamant, editor of The Medical Technology Stock Letter, each take a look at the encouraging prospects for this biotechnology firm.

Nate Pile explains, "Now that the Pharmion merger is behind us, it appears that investors are once again
recognizing Celgene for what it is - namely, one of the premier stories in the biopharmaceutical space.

"As I have said a number of times before, if I could only own one biotech stock for the next ten years, Celgene would be it... and I encourage you to make it a 'first choice' for your portfolio as well!

"The stock is likely to exhibit its usual volatility around the company's upcoming earnings report, but I encourage you to take advantage of any sell-off that may occur to aggressively add to your position in this market leader. CELG is now considered a strong buy under $60 and a buy under $68."

John McCamant states, "Celgene had some good news of late on the thalidomide front. The company has received approval of the application to expand the drug's label to treat newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (MM) patients in Australia.

Continue reading Biotech experts bet on Celgene (CELG)

Biotech experts bet on Celgene (CELG) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 May 2008 11:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.