6 Health Care Stocks to Gain on Earnings

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The following companies from the health care industry will release their quarterly earnings over the next two days. These stocks have upsides ranging from 2% to 23% and buy, hold ratings of 46% and 49%, respectively. On expected positive quarterly earnings, these stocks are seen accumulating gains subsequent to the release.

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As per statistics, the Healthcare Sector SPDR Fund (XLV) recorded 7.3% increase during the June quarter compared to a 0.5% drop registered by the S&P 500.

Further, during the second quarter of 2011, merger and acquisition deal activity in the health care industry surged with $73.5 billion spent to finance 243 deals, as per a report by Irving Levin Associates. This indicates 44% escalation from the uptick seen in the first quarter of 2011 and a 61% increase from the second quarter of 2010.

The stocks are stacked based on their earnings release date.

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6. Edwards Lifesciences (EW) is a global player in products and technologies designed to treat advanced cardiovascular disease. It mainly focuses on developing therapies that treat structural heart disease and critically ill patients. The company has operations in the U.S., Europe, Japan and its products and technologies are divided into four areas: Heart Valve Therapy, Critical Care, Cardiac Surgery Systems and Vascular. The company will report its second quarter 2011 earnings on July 21 after the market.

Net income for second quarter 2011 is pegged at $60.02 million or 50 cents per share, versus $55.00 million or 46 cents per share in the year-ago quarter, as per analysts polled by Bloomberg. For the quarter, sales are expected to rise by 16% to $425.22 million from $365.20 million in same quarter prior year. Operating profit for the period is estimated at $79.24 million against $73.60 million in the year-ago quarter.

Looking ahead to 2011, net sales are estimated to range from $1.66 to $1.74 billion. Meanwhile, net income is likely to grow by 11% to 13% from a recorded net profit of $219 million in 2010.

Of the 29 analysts covering the stock, 38% recommend a buy and 59% suggest a hold. Analysts polled by Bloomberg foresee the stock gaining an average 8.3% to $94.83 in the upcoming 12 months.

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