3 Stocks Driving The Health Care Sector Higher

TheStreet highlights 3 stocks pushing the health care sector higher today.
By TheStreet Wire ,

All three major indices are trading up today with the

Dow Jones Industrial Average

(

^DJI

) trading up 8 points (0.0%) at 18,524 as of Monday, July 18, 2016, 12:55 PM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,660 issues advancing vs. 1,244 declining with 151 unchanged.

The Health Care sector currently sits down 0.3% versus the S&P 500, which is up 0.1%. Top gainers within the sector include

Alibaba Group

(

BABA

), up 1.2%, and

AstraZeneca

(

AZN

), up 0.8%. On the negative front, top decliners within the sector include

Merck

(

MRK

), down 1.1%,

Vertex Pharmaceuticals

(

VRTX

), down 0.8% and

Baxter International

(

BAX

), down 0.8%.

TheStreet would like to highlight 3 stocks pushing the sector higher today:

3.

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA

(

FMS

) is one of the companies pushing the Health Care sector higher today. As of noon trading, Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA is up $0.33 (0.8%) to $43.93 on heavy volume. Thus far, 114,913 shares of Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 149,400 shares. The stock has ranged in price between $43.58-$44.23 after having opened the day at $43.79 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $43.60.

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Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, a kidney dialysis company, provides dialysis treatment and related dialysis care services, and other health care services. Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA has a market cap of $26.7 billion and is part of the health services industry. Shares are up 4.2% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 2 analysts who rate Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 6 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA

as a

buy

. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, expanding profit margins, growth in earnings per share, increase in net income and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. We feel its strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity. Get the full

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA Ratings Report

now.

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2. As of noon trading,

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

(

REGN

) is up $3.46 (0.9%) to $377.27 on light volume. Thus far, 297,140 shares of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 899,300 shares. The stock has ranged in price between $370.92-$379.70 after having opened the day at $374.23 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $373.81.

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Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, invents, develops, manufactures, and commercializes medicines for the treatment of serious medical conditions worldwide. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has a market cap of $38.4 billion and is part of the drugs industry. Shares are down 31.1% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 8 analysts who rate Regeneron Pharmaceuticals a buy, 2 analysts rate it a sell, and 10 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

as a

hold

. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and impressive record of earnings per share growth. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including a generally disappointing performance in the stock itself and poor profit margins. Get the full

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Ratings Report

now.

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1. As of noon trading,

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International

(

VRX

) is up $0.61 (2.7%) to $23.47 on average volume. Thus far, 17.0 million shares of Valeant Pharmaceuticals International exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 30.8 million shares. The stock has ranged in price between $22.70-$24.25 after having opened the day at $22.77 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $22.86.

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Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter products, and medical devices worldwide. Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has a market cap of $7.9 billion and is part of the drugs industry. Shares are down 77.5% year-to-date as of the close of trading on Friday. Currently there are 4 analysts who rate Valeant Pharmaceuticals International a buy, 3 analysts rate it a sell, and 8 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International

as a

sell

. The company's weaknesses can be seen in multiple areas, such as its deteriorating net income, generally high debt management risk, disappointing return on equity, generally disappointing historical performance in the stock itself and feeble growth in its earnings per share. Get the full

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Ratings Report

now.

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If you are interested in one of these 3 stocks, 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

).

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