Life Technologies Corp (LIFE): Today's Featured Health Care Winner

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.

Life Technologies (LIFE) pushed the Health Care sector higher today making it today's featured health care winner. The sector as a whole closed the day up 0.7%. By the end of trading, Life Technologies rose $1.38 (2.4%) to $59.54 on light volume. Throughout the day, 1.6 million shares of Life Technologies exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 2.2 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $57.57-$59.82 after having opened the day at $57.93 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $58.16. Other companies within the Health Care sector that increased today were: Aoxing Pharmaceutical Company (AXN), up 53.5%, Clovis Oncology (CLVS), up 15.6%, Prana Biotechnology (PRAN), up 15.6%, and Alphatec Holdings (ATEC), up 14.7%.

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Life Technologies Corporation operates as a global life sciences company. Life Technologies has a market cap of $9.98 billion and is part of the health services industry. The company has a P/E ratio of 14.6, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 18.3% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are six analysts that rate Life Technologies a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 10 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Life Technologies as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, impressive record of earnings per share growth, increase in net income, expanding profit margins and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow.

• You can view the full Life Ratings Report.

• 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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For more information on Life Technologies Corp click any of the following:

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