Today's Health Winners and Losers

Shares of OraSure Technologies(OSUR Quote) were among the worst-performing health-related stocks Friday, tumbling 17% after the medical diagnostics company posted mixed fourth-quarter results and warned that 2006 earnings would be below Wall Street forecasts.

The company earned $20.6 million, or 44 cents a share, on sales of $18 million. Excluding an $18.2 million tax benefit, the company earned 5 cents a share during the fourth quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson First Call expected earnings of 5 cents a share and sales of $18.1 million. During the year-earlier quarter, the company recorded a loss of $245,000, or 1 cent a share, on sales of $14.2 million.

OraSure sees 2006 earnings of 13 cents to 15 cents a share, including 4 cents to 5 cents in stock-based compensation costs. The company, whose biggest product is a rapid HIV test, predicts sales growth of 25%, which would imply sales of just under $87 million. Analysts project earnings of 21 cents a share and sales of $87 million. Shares were trading down $1.91 to $9.10.

Diagnostic Products(DP Quote) fell 5% after the maker of diagnostic test kits posted fourth-quarter results that fell below expectations. The company earned $13.1 million, or 43 cents a share, up from $11.1 million, or 37 cents a share, a year earlier. Analysts expected earnings of 66 cents a share. Sales rose to $123.8 million from $118.7 million a year earlier, but missed analysts' target of $19.6 million. Shares were trading down $2.32 to $47.40.

Shares of Coventry Health Care(CVH Quote) fell 6% after the company posted better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings but warned that first-quarter earnings would be lower than analysts' estimates. For the fourth quarter, the company earned $126.4 million, or 77 cents a share. Excluding one-time items related to Hurricane Katrina, the company posted earnings of $133.1 million, or 81 cents a share, a penny above analysts' forecast. Coventry reported sales of $1.72 billion, compared with Wall Street's projection of $1.70 billion. During the year-earlier period, the company earned $91.8 million, or 67 cents a share, on sales of $1.38 billion.