Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. (WPI): Today's Featured Health Care Laggard

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.

Watson Pharmaceuticals (WPI) pushed the Health Care sector lower today making it today's featured Health Care laggard. The sector as a whole closed the day down 0.2%. By the end of trading, Watson Pharmaceuticals fell $1.25 (-1.4%) to $85.24 on average volume. Throughout the day, 1.3 million shares of Watson Pharmaceuticals exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 1.1 million shares. The stock ranged in price between $85.03-$86.37 after having opened the day at $86.28 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $86.49. Other companies within the Health Care sector that declined today were: Amicus Therapeutics (FOLD), down 25.7%, ARCA biopharma (ABIO), down 15.8%, Five Star Quality Care Incorporated (FVE), down 14.4%, and Fonar Corporation (FONR), down 10.1%.

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Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, engages in the development, manufacture, marketing, sale, and distribution of generic and brand pharmaceutical products in the United States, western Europe, Canada, Australasia, Asia, South America, and South Africa. Watson Pharmaceuticals has a market cap of $10.95 billion and is part of the drugs industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 67.2, above the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are unchanged year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are 16 analysts that rate Watson Pharmaceuticals a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and four rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Watson Pharmaceuticals as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income, good cash flow from operations and solid stock price performance. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity.

• You can view the full Watson Ratings Report.

On the positive front, Bovie Medical Corporation (BVX), up 11.8%, Pharmacyclics Incorporated (PCYC), up 8.5%, Lannett Incorporated (LCI), up 8.4%, and MediciNova (MNOV), up 8.3%, were all gainers within the health care sector with BioMarin Pharmaceuticals (BMRN) being today's featured health care sector leader.

• Use our health care section to find sector-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 care sector could consider Health Care Select Sector SPDR (XLV) while those bearish on the health care sector could consider ProShares Ultra Short Health Care (RXD).

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

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• Watson Pharmaceuticals Inc. Income Statement