A Day for Defense

Defensive stocks rose modestly Wednesday, as a two-week long rotation into the group continued.

Healthcare equipment shares advanced, with medical device makers Biomet (BMET Quote), Baxter (BAX Quote) and Medtronic (MDT Quote) slightly higher.

Among healthcare providers, Oxford Health Plans (OHP Quote) gained after the company reported a near 30% gain in fourth-quarter earnings.

The tobacco sector was also partially green, with British American Tobacco (BTI Quote) adding 11 cents, or 0.4%, to $29.16.

"We are in a consolidation phase right now," said Richard Dickson, a technical analyst at Lowry's Research. "And so, you are seeing people move toward defensive areas."

Drug stocks lifted, with Merck (MRK Quote), Pfizer (PFE Quote), and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ Quote).

Technology shares closed sharply lower, as investors fretted over Cisco's (CSCO Quote) sales-growth prospects. The stock is up 88% in the past 12 months.

Cisco trades at 34 times Thomson First Call's 2004 earnings estimates of 71 cents a share. Other tech names are more expensive: Yahoo! (YHOO Quote) fetches 85 times estimates for 2004 of 53 cents a share.

"We think the market is very toppy," said Peter Blatchford, a trader at Miller Tabak. "But money is coming into the market. With net positive inflows, it has to go somewhere."

In recent days, investors have sought shelter in more reasonably priced defensive groups. Biomet fetches 30 times this year's earnings; British American Tobacco is valued at 12 times 2004 forecasts; Merck has a price-earnings-ratio of 16; and Johnson & Johnson has a PE of 18.