Analyst Rankings: Baxter, Abbott Among Faves in Health Care Equipment

While pharmaceutical stocks tend to move as a group, individual performance is the name of the game in health care equipment and supplies. Still, the majority of the 16 or so equipment and supply stocks covered by Wall Street's big shops did one thing in sync recently: They beat the S&P 500, and handily, through the end of July. Experts agree that the good news will continue well into 2001.

But investors who are considering playing this sector, either with slower-moving hospital-supply stocks or with racier medical-device names, need to act fast. Stocks in this group don't hesitate.

The Winners

By name By category By firm Best stock pickers Best firms

Consider this: No sooner did one of our top-ranked analysts recommend Johnson & Johnson (JNJ Quote) at 70 than it rapidly ratcheted up to 100. Another analyst profiled here saw Novoste (NOVT Quote), his No. 1 pick, skyrocket nearly 300% in six months.

Though there is considerable excitement surrounding the newer medical technology, or "medtech" players, our three winning analysts stick with familiar names in selecting their favorite stocks for the next 12 months.

Two choose Baxter International (BAX Quote), which has actually become more medtechlike since spinning off its cardiovascular division and focusing more on its high-growth, high-margin biosciences division. The third analyst has settled on Abbott Laboratories (ABT Quote), a classic Old World stock, largely because he is optimistic about its new drugs.

Health Care Equipment and Supplies

	1st Place
	Michael Weinstein J.P. Morgan (See Report Card)

	2nd Place
	Glenn Reicin Morgan Stanley Dean Witter (See Report Card)

	3rd Place
	Anne Malone Salomon Smith Barney (See Report Card)

	4th Place
	Dan Lemaitre Merrill Lynch

	5th Place
	Wade King Robertson Stephens

	Best Team
	Merrill Lynch

Rate Their Stock Picks:

Which stock do you like best? Weinstein and Malone: Baxter International Reicin: Abbott Labs