Health care stocks are seen as low-risk investments by many stock market investors. After all –�folks will always get sick, right? While that may be the case, it’s an oversimplification to say that all health care stocks then have a built in customer base. The fact of the matter is that the health care industry has seen a big shakeup in the wake of Obama’s health care reform bill and not all stocks in this sector are adapting well.
To keep your portfolio in perfect health, here are 11 big-name health care blue chips to sell now.
Amgen Inc. (AMGN)Market Cap: $50.8 billion
Dividend Yield: N/A
Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) is an independent biotechnology medicine company which focuses on human therapeutics and concentrates on medicines based on advances in cellular and molecular biology. For the past month, Amgen’s shares have been on the decline despite talk that the FDA is set to review its new drug Denosumab. Outlook is not favorable with a projected growth estimate in the red for next quarter.
Baxter International Inc. (BAX)Market Cap: $25.4 billion
Dividend Yield: 2.7%
Baxter International Inc. (BAX) through its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets products that save and sustain the lives of people with chronic and acute medical conditions. Baxter manufactures products in 27 countries and sells them in more than 100 countries. Baxter has been a disaster for investors this summer, down almost -30% in the past 3 months and recently being forced by the FDA to issue a recall of some 200,000 of its Colleague infusion pumps. Baxter is surely a health care stock you will want to think about purging from your portfolio.
Becton, Dickinson &Co. (BDX)Market Cap: $15.9 billion
Dividend Yield: 2.2%
Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE: BDX) is a medical technology company engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of a range of medical supplies. In an industry boasting some impressive growth estimates for this quarter, Becton Dickinson�s estimates don�t measure up. BDX has failed to impress so far this year especially since April, when the shares had since began the more than -10% decline in return that has made this stock one to unload now.
Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX)Market Cap: $9.3 billion
Dividend Yield: N/A
Boston Scientific Corporation (NYSE: BSX) is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties, including cardiac rhythm management, neurovascular, and endoscopy. In the past six months, this stock has fallen consistently below averages and the projected sales growth for the remainder of the year is expected to be negative. With signs pointing at a bearish trend, BSX is a strong sell.
Genzyme Corp. (GENZ)Market Cap: $13.8 billion
Dividend Yield: N/A
Genzyme Corporation (NASDAQ: GENZ) is a biotechnology company whose product and service portfolio is focused on rare genetic disease disorders, renal diseases, orthopaedics, cancer, transplant and immune disease. Q1 of this year saw Genzyme put up negative numbers for return on average equity and on net profit margins. On top of that, estimates for this quarter have GENZ once again on rocky ground and it might be time for shareholders to walk away from this stock.
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD)Market Cap: $29.3 billion
Dividend Yield: N/A
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: GILD) is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and commercializes therapeutics. The Company has operations in North America, Europe and Australia. The Company�s products include Truvada, Atripla, Viread, Emtriva, Hepsera, AmBisome, Letairis, Ranexa, Vistide and Cayston. With shares down almost���� -30% since May of this year, the recovery time needed for this stock is not worth the wait.
Pfizer Inc. (PFE)Market Cap: $118.8 billion
Dividend Yield: 4.9%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) is a research-based, global biopharmaceutical company. It employs more than 116,000 people and Pfizer�s global health care portfolio includes human and animal biologic and small molecule medicines and vaccines. So far in 2010, the company�s stock has been sloping downward and the momentum might be too great to stop. Currently trading toward the low end of its 52 week range, investors are taking a gamble with Pfizer if they think that it will bounce back quickly.
Quest Diagnostics Inc. (DGX)Market Cap: $8.9 billion
Dividend Yield: 0.8%
Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE: DGX) is a provider of diagnostic testing, information and services including gene-based and other esoteric testing, anatomic pathology services, including dermatopathology and testing for drugs-of-abuse, and risk assessment services for the life insurance industry. DGX is closing in on a -20% return for the first 6 months of 2010. With its next earnings date set for July 21, don�t expect to see anything on the report to make you think this stock is a keeper.
Sanofi-Aventis S.A. (SNY)Market Cap: $82 billion
Dividend Yield: 4.7%
Sanofi-Aventis (NYSE: SNY) is a pharmaceutical group engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of healthcare products. In its pharmaceutical activity, the Company specializes in six therapeutic areas: diabetes, oncology, thrombosis and cardiovascular, central nervous system , and internal medicine. Sales numbers and other growth estimates for Sanofi are not looking promising for its current shareholders who were thinking of holding this stock. Time to sell SNY.
St. Jude Medical Inc. (STJ)Market Cap: $11.7 billion
Dividend Yield: N/A
St. Jude Medical, Inc. (NYSE: STJ) develops, manufactures and distributes cardiovascular medical devices for the global cardiac rhythm management, cardiology and cardiac surgery and a trial fibrillation therapy areas and neurostimulation medical devices for the management of chronic pain. For the past three months STJ has been losing ground and sliding down the charts in what has become a trend to cause some concern. Selling seems like a good option right now.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX)Market Cap: $6.5 billion
Dividend Yield: N/A
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (NASDAQ: VRTX) is engaged in the business of discovering, developing and commercializing small molecule drugs for the treatment of serious diseases. Telaprevir, the Company�s lead drug candidate, is an oral hepatitis C protease inhibitor. VRTX has performed well below the broader markets in the past six months and has underperformed EPS estimates for three of the past four quarters.
Louis Navellier’s Secret Sell-Off Weapon — This secret weapon is called Portfolio Grader, and it analyzes nearly every stock on Wall Street — including those you’re holding in your portfolio right now. Learn�more�here.
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