NVS

Growing Cautious on Teva Pharma

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By Paul Tait and Kris Rosemann Since Teva Pharmaceuticals’ (TEVA) addition to the Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio in mid-2013 in the low-$40s, the company has been a strong performer, even though the past several months have been rather rough. Following difficult fourth-quarter results, we’re ready to take profits on the equity, and we plan to release an alert in the coming days, hopefully on market strength. Last year was a transformational year for Teva, or in the words of management, a year of “exceptional strategic, operational and financial performance.” The company has pursued a number of growth-driving acquisitions to offset headwinds mounting for its leading drug Copaxone, a top treatment for multiple sclerosis. The spotlight has shifted to the development … Read more

Around the Horn in Biotech/Pharma: 3Q Earnings Review

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The biotech (IBB) and pharma (XLV) industries have been two of the strongest-performing segments of the market since the March 2009 panic bottom during the Financial Crisis, but the broader healthcare arena has been under siege as of late. New discoveries underscored by the development of a cure for hepatitis C with Gilead’s (GILD) Solvadi/Harvoni and a huge step forward in cystic fibrosis treatment with Vertex’s (VRTX) Orkambi have helped fuel the exuberance, but established pharma entities have also caught a bid as they successfully worked through the “patent cliff,” capturing the wave of dividend growth investors and acquiring budding new pipelines from smaller rivals along the way. The past few months haven’t been kind to biotech investors, however. What … Read more

Guide to Second Quarter Earnings; Big Pharma Experiencing Earnings Momentum

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Abbott (ABT) Abbott is one of our favorites in Big Pharma. We know many of you hold the stock in your own portfolios, and frankly, the company is one of the best operators in its industry. Abbott’s second-quarter performance revealed continued strength in its global diagnostics and branded generics businesses. Foreign currency exchange headwinds have posed problems for almost every multi-national in our coverage, but on an operational basis, second-quarter worldwide sales leapt nearly 10%. Abbott kept its full-year 2015 adjusted EPS guidance range from continuing operations unchanged at $2.10-$2.20, a rarity across a pharma universe that’s experiencing fantastic earnings momentum as of late. Keys to the Quarter: We were very pleased with the traction witnessed in Abbott’s pediatric nutrition … Read more

Teva Pharmaceuticals Committed to Acquiring Mylan

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Image source: Teva July 5 investor presentation We have been adamant on our stance on Best Ideas Newsletter portfolio holding Teva Pharmaceuticals (TEVA) since the initiation of our thesis on the generics industry in June 2013, shortly before we initiated our position in the firm. Since then shares have advanced nearly 50%, and we’ve continued to let this winner run.   A large portion of Teva’s success has been tied to the incredible performance of Copaxone, the leading multiple sclerosis therapy worldwide. In the first quarter of 2015, the drug alone comprised 18.5% of revenue, while contributing an astounding ~55% of net income. These figures are down from the year-ago period–and the majority of its production life–due in part to … Read more

Big News in Big Pharma

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Pfizer Held Talks to Acquire AstraZeneca “Pfizer Inc. (PFE), the world’s biggest drugmaker, held informal, now-discontinued talks with AstraZeneca Plc (AZN) about buying the London-based maker of asthma and heart drugs, said two people familiar with the matter… …The companies aren’t currently negotiating, said the people, who asked not to be identified. One said the talks happened several months ago and there are no plans to resume. The discussions were first reported yesterday by London’s Sunday Times, whose unnamed bank and industry sources said New York-based Pfizer made a tentative approach about a takeover valuing AstraZeneca at more than 60 billion pounds ($101 billion).” (Source: Bloomberg) To continue reading >> Valeant and Activist Investor Bill Ackman Pursue Allergan “Canada’s Valeant … Read more

Looking for a Pullback to Pick Up Johnson & Johnson’s Shares

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This article appeared on Seeking Alpha. Please view disclosures: https://seekingalpha.com/article/278789-looking-for-a-pullback-to-pick-up-johnson-and-johnsons-shares As long-time followers of Johnson & Johnson (click ticker for report: ) know, the firm is a steady, established company that has pursued somewhat of a defensive strategy in light of the global economic situation, which continues to muddle along in the US. J&J has pulled back on capital expenditures and R&D, while cutting overhead expenses, amounting to material operating savings. Operating margins have improved from about 26.6% in 2008 to over 27.5% in 2010, and we think there is further room for expansion in coming years. We believe these operating improvements to be a low risk measure to improve the bottom line, and with expansion into international markets, the firm should … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week Ending March 1

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 1. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week Albemarie (ALB): now $0.3675 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.335. AMERISAFE (AMSF): now $0.25 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.22. Assured Guaranty (AGO): now $0.18 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.16. Atlantica Yield (AY): now $0.37 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.36. AXA Equitable Holdings (EQH): now $0.15 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.13. Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS): now CAD 0.87 per share quarterly dividend, … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week January 29

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending January 29. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week 1st Source (SRCE): now $0.29 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.28. Air Products and Chemicals (APD): now $1.50 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.34. Allegiance Bancshares (ABTX): now $0.12 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.10. Anthem (ANTM): now $1.13 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.95. Apartment Income REIT (AIRC): now $0.43 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.41. Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM): now $0.37 per share quarterly dividend, was … Read more

Dividend Increases/Decreases for the Week March 11

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Below we provide a list of firms that raised their dividends during the week ending March 11. The dividend reports of covered firms on this list will be updated shortly with the new information. To access our dividend reports use the ‘Symbol’ search box in our website header. Firms Raising Their Dividends This Week      AFC Gamma (AFCG): now $0.55 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.50. American Assets Trust (AAT): now $0.32 per share quarterly dividend was $0.30. American Express (AXP): now $0.52 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.43. American Tower (AMT): now $1.40 per share quarterly dividend, was $1.39. AngloGold Ashanti (AU): now $0.145 per share dividend, was $0.059. Applied Materials (AMAT): now $0.26 per share quarterly dividend, was $0.24. … Read more