Alere Inc (ALR): Today's Featured Health Services Winner

Alere (ALR) pushed the Health Services industry higher today making it today's featured health services winner. The industry as a whole closed the day down 1.4%. By the end of trading, Alere rose 14 cents (0.8%) to $18.60 on heavy volume. Throughout the day, 1.7 million shares of Alere exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 818,200 shares. The stock ranged in a price between $18.37-$18.72 after having opened the day at $18.53 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $18.46. Other companies within the Health Services industry that increased today were: Edap TMS (EDAP), up 5.9%, Graymark Healthcare (GRMH), up 5.1%, IVAX Diagnostics (IVD), up 5.1%, and Concord Medical Services Holdings (CCM), up 4.9%.

Alere Inc. develops and manufactures patient diagnosis, monitoring, and health management products and services for cardiology, infectious diseases, toxicology, diabetes, oncology, and women's health in the United States and internationally. Alere has a market cap of $1.47 billion and is part of the health care sector. Shares are down 20.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are three analysts that rate Alere a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and five rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Alere as a hold. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, compelling growth in net income and expanding profit margins. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself and generally poor debt management.

• You can view the full Alere Ratings Report.

On the negative front, Stereotaxis (STXS), down 13.1%, Sun Healthcare Group (SUNH), down 11%, Fonar Corporation (FONR), down 9.7%, and LCA-Vision (LCAV), down 9.2%, were all losers within the health services industry with UnitedHealth Group (UNH) being today's health services industry loser.

• Use our health services section to find industry-relevant news.
• Or find some new ideas from our top rated stocks lists.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the health services industry could consider Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) while those bearish on the health services industry could consider ProShares Ultra Short Health Care (RXD).

• Find other investment ideas from our top rated ETFs lists.

For more information on Alere Inc click any of the following:

• Alere Inc Stock Price

• Alere Inc Analyst Ratings

• Alere Inc Key Stats & Profile

• Alere Inc Earnings

• Alere Inc Ratio Comparison

• Alere Inc Growth Rates

• Alere Inc Balance Sheet

• Alere Inc Cash Flow

• Alere Inc Income Statement