Health Stocks in Motion

NPS Pharma hammered on fourth-quarter loss.
By Mark Martinez ,

Updated from 2:12 p.m.

Shares of

NPS Pharmaceuticals

(NPSP)

were among the worst-performing health-related stocks Wednesday, falling 14.8% after the company posted a fourth-quarter loss that was wider than expected.

The drug discovery company posted a loss of $52 million, or $1.34 a share, on sales of $1.1 million. Analysts surveyed by Thomson First Call were expecting a loss of $1.03 a share on sales of $2.26 million. A year ago, the company posted a loss of $48.5 million, or $1.31 a share, on sales of $2 million. Last year's results included a termination expense of $5.9 million. Shares traded down $1.96 to $11.29.

Stratagene

(STGN)

rose 10.7% after the maker of life science research and diagnostic products posted a fourth-quarter profit that beat expectations. The company earned $1.9 million, or 8 cents a share, on product sales of $22.8 million. Analysts were expecting earnings of 7 cents a share. A year ago, the company earned $237,000, or 2 cents a share, on sales of $18.9 million. Looking ahead, Stratagene forecast 2005 earnings of 35 cents to 40 cents a share, in line with expectations, on sales of $95 million to $98 million. The company expects gross margins of about 64%. Shares traded up 79 cents to $8.18.

Shares of

Merit Medical Systems

(MMSI) - Get Report

rose 16.6% after the disposable medical products company posted fourth-quarter earnings and sales that came in ahead of expectations. The company earned $4.3 million, or 16 cents a share, on sales of $39.3 million. Analysts were expecting earnings of 15 cents a share on sales of $36.4 million. Fourth-quarter earnings were hurt by a one-time severance expense and by costs related to Sarbanes-Oxley compliance. The costs knocked 2 cents from the bottom line. Looking ahead, Merit forecast 2005 sales of $167 million to $171 million. The company did not provide earnings guidance because it's still developing and refining its 2005 budget but did say that it expects to issue guidance on or before March 31. Analysts are looking for 2005 earnings of 73 cents a share on sales of $162.8 million. Shares traded up $1.96 to $13.77.

NeoPharm

(NEOL)

fell 11.5% after the company announced the resignation of Gregory Young. Director Ronald Eidell will replace Young, who served as CEO for just nine months. Eidell will act an interim CEO until a permanent replacement is found. Shares traded down $1.04 to $7.98.

Other health care movers included

Elan

(ELN)

, up 75 cents to $7.88;

Pfizer

(PFE) - Get Report

, down 2 cents to $26.74;

WebMD

(HLTH)

, up $1.49 to $9.06;

Biogen Idec

(BIIB) - Get Report

, up 96 cents to $39.31;

Boston Scientific

(BSX) - Get Report

, down 2 cents to $29.75;

Merck

(MRK) - Get Report

, up 10 cents to $31.83;

Millennium Pharmaceuticals

(MLNM)

, up 10 cents to $8.16;

Johnson & Johnson

(JNJ) - Get Report

, down 43 cents to $67.76;

Amgen

(AMGN) - Get Report

, down 62 cents to $61.13;

Medtronic

(MDT) - Get Report

, down 6 cents to $54.54; and

Schering-Plough

(SGP)

, down 16 cents to $18.60.

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