Author: Noah Kiedrowski

Payments Volume Growth Propels Visa To All-Time Highs

Posted on by Noah Kiedrowski

Noah Kiedrowski - INO.com Contributor - Biotech


Introduction

Visa Inc. (NYSE:V) reported a great quarter that has subsequently propelled the stock to all-time highs. The Visa Europe acquisition is beginning to bear fruit for the company, translating into phenomenal transaction and volume growth. Visa posted great growth across all segments of its enterprise. Meanwhile the company continues to grow its dividends and engage in consistent share repurchases. Visa has continued to be a best-in-class large-cap growth stock and continues to make a compelling investment as a great long-term core portfolio holding. I feel that Visa is a great long-term holding that offers growth and stability independent of banks and/or interest rates. Taken together, the Visa Europe acquisition and major client wins will enable sustained and durable growth now and into the future. Continue reading "Payments Volume Growth Propels Visa To All-Time Highs" →

McKesson's Misses For 5th Consecutive Quarter - Buying Opportunity?

Posted on by Noah Kiedrowski

Noah Kiedrowski - INO.com Contributor - Biotech


Introduction

McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) missed Q3 2017 numbers and this marks the fifth consecutive quarter in which McKesson has missed its revenue targets. The stock sold off shapely as a result of its recent revenue miss, sliding 8.3% or $12.55 per share. McKesson has paid dearly for this string of revenue misses, shedding over $102 per share or 42.5% from its all-time highs in May of 2015 falling from $240 to roughly $138 as of recent trading (Figure 1). There’s been a tremendous amount of pressure regarding the pharmaceutical supply chain in terms of pricing competition and potential erosion of the pharmaceutical wholesaler model. As if this wasn’t enough, social and political pressures over drug pricing have exacerbated these issues to the point of fierce pricing competition and the slowing of drug price increases (negatively impacting McKesson’s ability to take larger dollar amount cuts from the volume of business). As the negative sentiment is priced into the stock and acquisitions starting to bear fruit, will this finally be the turning point? Continue reading "McKesson's Misses For 5th Consecutive Quarter - Buying Opportunity?" →

Preview Issue #10: Trump Fires Shot, Valeant Divesture and Generic EpiPen Launches

Posted on by Noah Kiedrowski

INO Health & Biotech Stock Guide

Preview Issue #10 - February 8, 2017

BIOTECH, HEALTH & PHARMA NEWS

Prior to his inauguration, president-elect Trump held a press conference and chimed in on his stance with regard to the pharmaceutical industry and more specifically drug pricing. Trump stated that drug companies are "getting away with murder" when speaking to the drug pricing issue that has taken center stage throughput the presidential campaign. These remarks immediately resulted in a broad sell-off across the entire biotech cohort. The iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) shed more than 2.5% or $7 per share as these comments were heard during the live broadcast. Although the political uncertainty has abated, Donald Trump has been able to single handily influence the movement of specific stocks (i.e. Lockheed Martin, Ford, Boeing, etc.) and sectors (i.e. automotive, biotechnology and healthcare). The overall healthcare umbrella has become volatile on the heels of any statement or tweet from Donald Trump and thus one can expect continued volatility until the crosshairs are directed elsewhere.

WHAT'S NEXT

Continue reading "Preview Issue #10: Trump Fires Shot, Valeant Divesture and Generic EpiPen Launches" →

Preview Issue #9: Theranos Layoffs, Amgen Wins and Potential Obamacare Repeal

Posted on by Noah Kiedrowski

INO Health & Biotech Stock Guide

Preview Issue #9 - January 25, 2017

BIOTECH, HEALTH & PHARMA NEWS

2017 is kicking off to be an eventful year in the healthcare space. Regeneron was handed a devastating blow in federal court in a lawsuit filed by Amgen surrounding its cholesterol-lowering drug Praluent. Amgen claimed that Regeneron’s Praluent infringed on Amgen’s patents and competing drug Repatha in a long-standing patent lawsuit. Amgen previously won a trial in which Regeneron was shown to have infringed on two patents covering a class of cholesterol-lowering drugs. The most recent ruling stipulates that Regeneron must stop selling Praluent in the U.S. altogether due to “irreparable harm” to Amgen. It’s extremely rare to see a ruling in which a drug is ordered to be removed from the market as opposed to a financial penalty or royalties. Monetary implications at the moment are minor as Praluent and Repatha have had minimal sales through the first 9 months of 2016 of $75 million and $83 million, respectively. Despite these numbers, if positive data comes to fruition that extends a clinical benefit to more patients in lowering rates of heart attacks, strokes and death then Amgen’s drug could gain broader insurance coverage and ultimately sell $2-$4 billion on an annual basis worldwide. Amgen shares popped 5% on the news while Regeneron shares sank 6% albeit shares were halted once the ruling came down.

WHAT'S NEXT

Continue reading "Preview Issue #9: Theranos Layoffs, Amgen Wins and Potential Obamacare Repeal" →

Analysts' Upgrades For Disney Are A Little Late

Posted on by Noah Kiedrowski

Noah Kiedrowski - INO.com Contributor - Biotech


Introduction

Recently, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) has been on a sustained uptrend moving from $90 in October of 2016 to $109 as of mid-January 2017, logging a solid 21% gain in the process. I wrote several pieces on Disney when the stock was trading in the range of $89-$93 advocating that Disney offered a compelling long-term investment opportunity considering the growth, pipeline, diversity of its portfolio, share repurchase program and dividend. The shares sold-off in a meaningful way moving from 2016 highs of $120 per share to the low $90s and remaining at that level for months. This 25% decline in the share price presented a buying opportunity in a great large-cap growth company with strong fundamentals. The fundamentals of Disney were stronger than ever despite the temporary ESPN woes. These ESPN issues were being addressed in a variety of ways via Hulu, BAMTech investment, Vice production deal and Sling TV. Once these issues were arrested and clarity with regard to a path forward in returning to growth in this segment was laid out, I posited that these shares would have tremendous upside. These corrective actions have been in the works with the backdrop of all its other segments reporting record numbers. Continue reading "Analysts' Upgrades For Disney Are A Little Late" →