5 Stocks Pushing The Health Care Sector Higher

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model

All three major indices are trading up today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) trading up 22 points (0.2%) at 12,810 as of Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012, 11:49 AM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,635 issues advancing vs. 1,204 declining with 167 unchanged.

The Health Care sector currently sits up 0.2% versus the S&P 500, which is up 0.0%. Top gainers within the sector include Thoratec Corporation (THOR), up 4.9%, Boston Scientific (BSX), up 3.2%, Shire (SHPG), up 1.5% and Becton Dickinson (BDX), up 0.8%. On the negative front, top decliners within the sector include DaVita HealthCare Partners (DVA), down 1.8%, Edwards Life (EW), down 1.3%, Humana (HUM), down 1.0%, Sanofi (SNY), down 0.6% and Express Scripts (ESRX), down 0.7%.

TheStreet Ratings group would like to highlight 5 stocks pushing the sector higher today:

5. Vivus (VVUS) is one of the companies pushing the Health Care sector higher today. As of noon trading, Vivus is up $1.26 (12.2%) to $11.61 on heavy volume Thus far, 11.6 million shares of Vivus exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 3.8 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $10.34-$12.59 after having opened the day at $10.34 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $10.35.

VIVUS, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, is developing therapies to address obesity, sleep apnea, diabetes, and male sexual health. Its lead investigational product, Qnexa, has completed Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of obesity. Vivus has a market cap of $1.0 billion and is part of the drugs industry. The company has a P/E ratio of -10.4, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 6.2% year to date as of the close of trading on Tuesday. Currently there are 6 analysts that rate Vivus a buy, 1 analyst rates it a sell, and 4 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Vivus as a sell. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its deteriorating net income and feeble growth in its earnings per share. Get the full Vivus Ratings Report now.

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