Teva Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: TEVA) shares are falling after competitor Mylan Inc. (NYSE: MYL) was granted licensing rights to distribute a generic version TEVA's multiple sclerosis drug Copaxone in almost all major markets. This could lead to lower demand for the higher-priced Copaxone down the road. If you think this stock won't be rising too far in the coming months, then it could be a good time to look at a bearish hedged play on TEVA.

After hitting a one-year low of $38.66 last June, the stock hit a one-year high of $50.00 in February. This morning, TEVA opened at $43.58. So far today the stock has hit a low of $43.31 and a high of $44.12. As of 12:25, TEVA is trading at $43.59, down $1.17 (-2.6%). The chart for TEVA looks bearish but improving slightly, while S&P gives the stock its highest 5 STARS (out of 5) strong buy rating.

For a bearish hedged play on this stock, I would consider a September bear-call credit spread above the $50 range. A bear-call credit spread is an options position that combines the purchase and sale of call options to hedge risk in case the stock doesn't do what you think but still leverage nice returns. For this particular trade, we will make a 5.3% return in three and a half months as long as TEVA is below $50 at September expiration. Teva would have to rise by more than 14% before we would start to lose money. Learn more about this type of trade here.

The boon of generic pharmaceutical cost efficiency only works when the effectiveness of the generic product matches that of the original. An expert in the art of creating difficult-to-formulate and high-barrier-to-entry generic equivalents is headquartered in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.

Mylan Laboratories (NYSE:MYL) is one of the world's leading makers of generic drugs, providing 160 products in nearly 400 strengths, covering 46 therapeutic categories. The firm is active in the development and production of sophisticated dosage forms, such as transdermal patches, extended-release tablets and capsules. It is also a leading supplier of unit dose pharmaceuticals to hospitals and other institutions. Customers include wholesalers, distributors, retail drugstore chains and government agencies. Competitors include Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (NASDAQ: TEVA) and Watson Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: WPI).

The stock is up over the past month, on word of various regulatory and legal developments that can benefit the firm. Also, there was word last week that Mylan issued upside guidance for FY07. The company now sees EPS of $1.60-$1.63, versus prior guidance of $1.50-$1.55 and Street consensus of $1.52. MYL shares popped on the news and have since been defining a bullish "flag" consolidation pattern. Prices frequently exit flags moving in the same direction they were traveling when they entered them. In this case, that would be to the upside.

Brokers recommend the issue with two "buys," fourteen "holds" and one "sell." Analysts see a 15% average annual growth rate, through the next five years. The MYL P/E ratio (25.18), PEG ratio (0.90), Price to Cash Flow ratio (12.15), Price to Free Cash Flow ratio (20.98), Sales Growth rate (29.08%), EPS Growth rate (76.00%), Operating Margin (36.38%), Net Profit Margin (23.89%), Return on Assets (17.13%), Return on Investment (19.82%), Return on Equity (37.20%) and Net Income per Employee ($119.39k) compare favorably with industry, sector and S&P 500 averages.

Institutions hold about 65% of the outstanding shares. The stock is one of those used to calculate the S&P 500 Index. Over the past 52 weeks, it has traded between $18.65 and $23.49. A stop-loss of $19 looks good here. Note that the firm is expected to announce fiscal fourth quarter results in mid-May.

Larry Schutts is a contributing editor for Theflyonthewall.com and the Vice-President of Stockwinners.com.

Legendary investor Carl Icahn has acquired 1.39% stake in Motorola, Inc. (NYSE:MOT), and asked for a seat on the company's board of directors. With stock trading 30% off its 52-week high and a 48% profit decline in the company's fourth quarter profit, some believe that Icahn will attempt to break-up or otherwise restructure the company.

Currently perched at number 24 on the Forbes list with a net worth of $9.7 billion dollars, Icahn is famous for his activist investments in companies including TWA, Blockbuster Inc. (NYSE:BBI), ImClone Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:IMCL), Mylan Laboratories Inc. (NYSE:MYL), and, most recently Time Warner Inc. (NYSE:TWX).

If Icahn's goal is to break-up the company, analysts predict that he will encounter resistance from management. If that happens, this could get very interesting. Watching people like Carl Icahn doing battle with corporate management teams is good entertainment... not quite as much fun as watching Dan Loeb at work though.