5 Healthcare Stocks for Income Investors: AZN, PMD, MRK, LLY, VIVO

PUBLISHED: Feb 07 2013 @ 11:12 | Comments (0) | More info about Ed Liston

AstraZeneca Plc (NYSE:AZN): The pharma company offers 5.83 percent dividend yield, making it an attractive income stock. AstraZeneca is likely to keep performing well despite posting weak results for the fiscal fourth quarter. The company‘s net profit for the quarter dropped to $6.3 billion while it revenue stood at $28 billion.

AstraZeneca is also facing patent cliff as many of its blockbuster drugs had their patent protection expired. However, the company is expected to introduce new products and maintain its profitability. AstraZeneca is currently trading at $47.48, down 1.10 percent from its previous close. The stock is trading below its 20 days moving average price of $47.95 and 50 days moving average price of $47.97. Its 52 weeks price range stands at $39.72 and $50.14. The stock is trading at the Price Earnings ratio of 9.52. AstraZeneca commands market capitalization of $59.13 Billion. AstraZeneca is based out of the United Kingdom.

Psychemedics Corp. (NASDAQ:PMD): The company deals in testing products for substance abuse and it is based out of Massachusetts. Psychemedics has long track record of consistent dividend payment. It currently sport dividend yield of 5 percent. The company is on growth trajectory and is expected to develop new patents. It has also been generating good insider buying interest, which is a positive indication for the shareholders. Psychemedics is also developing new business as its CEO said, “New business accounted for all our growth, including making up for lost volume on our base business.” The stock is currently trading at $11.95. The stock is above its 20 days moving average price of $11.93. In the past 52 weeks, the stock’s price range has been $9.46 and $12.49. The stock’s beta is 0.91 and its Price Earnings ratio is 20. Psychemedics commands market capitalization of $63.01 million.

Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK): The stock offers 4.20 percent dividend yield and grew 7 percent in the past 52 weeks. Merck is based out of New Jersey and offers therapies for a wide range of ailments. It also develops and markets skin care and sun care products. Merck stock is currently trading at $40.89, down 0.41 percent. It is trading below its 20 days moving average price of $41.00 and 50 days moving average price of $41.07. The stock oscillated in the range of $40.88 and $41.30 in the current trading session. Merck & Co. reported its latest EPS at $2.17. The company stock’s Price Earnings ratio stands at 18.89. Merck & Co. commands the market capitalization of $124.31 billion and its stock is trading at the beta of 0.32. The company also has collaborations with major corporations like AstraZeneca LP and Sanofi Pasteur SA.

Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY): The stock traded in the range of $53.31 and $53.92 in the current trading session and at this point is at $53.38, down 1.02 percent. The stock’s highest price point of 52 weeks stands at $54.87 while its lowest price point is at $38.30. Eli Lilly stock gained 36 percent in the past 12 months and it also gives healthy dividend yield of 3.63 percent. The stock is trading at Price Earnings ratio of 14.58 and its beta is 0.68. The company’s dividend yield stands at 3.67 percent. Eli Lilly is also dealing with patent expiry problems and is still reeling under the impact of losing exclusivity over its drug Zyprexa. However, the company has healthy pipeline and is looking forward to secure FDA approval. Eli Lilly will be losing patent exclusivity over Cymbalta later this year.

Meridian Bioscience Inc. (NASDAQ:VIVO): the company announced strong quarterly results. Its net earnings for the fiscal first quarter stood at $8.5 million. Its revenue also grew 13 percent to $45.4 million. The company stock offers dividend yield of 3.54 percent while it grew 15.2 percent in the past 12 months. The stock is trading at $21.06, 1.82 percent lower than its previous close. It has traded in the range of $21.00 and $21.51 in the current trading session. It has traded 18k shares so far, in comparison to its daily average trading volume of 145k shares. The stock has traded in the range of $16.19 and $21.82 in the past 52 weeks. The company stock trades at Price Earnings ratio of 24.88 and its beta is at 0.76.

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