4 Drug Stocks Getting Smashed

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drug stocks - 4 Drug Stocks Getting Smashed

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U.S. equities were hitting new record highs, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average topping 27,000 for the first time ever while the S&P 500 hits 3,000. The catalyst is an all too familiar one: The promise of more cheap money from the Federal Reserve, with chairman Jerome Powell strongly signaling a rate cut later this month in response to uneven economic data.

But the gains are being trimmed in mid-day trading after a strong inflation report suggests the U.S.-China trade spat is starting to have an impact on import prices. And higher inflation would undermine the Fed’s desire to lower rates. Stocks, obviously, wouldn’t react well to that.

A number of big drug stocks are getting hit amid the pullback on reports the Trump Administration has pulled its plan to eliminate rebates from government drug plans. Had this rule gone through, drug stocks would’ve been relatively unaffected. Investors now fear the administrations next move to try to lower drug prices. Here are four drug stocks to sell on the news:

Pfizer (PFE)


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Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) shares are dropping hard out of a four-month uptrend threatening to cut below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages. This comes after the stock bonked on resistance from its December high and remains mired in a sideways range that has been in play since last summer.

The company will next report results on July 30 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of 75 cents per share on revenues of $13.4 billion. When the company last reported on April 30, earnings of 85 cents per share beat estimates by 10 cents on a 1.6% rise in revenues.

Eli Lilly (LLY)


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Shares of Eli Lilly (NYSE:LLY) are falling down and out of a four month consolidation range, returning to levels not seen since December. This caps a decline of more than 15% from the highs hit in late March. With the 50-day and 200-day moving averages already lost, watch for a drop down to mid-2018 support near $105, which would be worth a loss of another 4% from here.

The company will next report results on July 30 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of $1.45 per share on revenues of $5.6 billion. When the company last reported on April 30, earnings of $1.33 per share matched expectations on a 2.6% rise in revenues.

Merck (MRK)


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Merck (NYSE:MRK) shares are dropping hard and fast away from the two-month consolation range that capped a nice 20% rally off of its 200-day moving average. The stock has gained more than 50% from the lows seen in early 2018 and a ripe for a significant profit taking pullback — likely resulting in a revisiting of the April lows.

The company will next report results on July 30 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of $1.16 per share on revenues of $10.9 billion. When the company last reported on April 30, earnings of $1.22 per share beat estimates by 17 cents on a 7.8% rise in revenues.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY)


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Shares of Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) have returned to lows near $44 that have been tested multiple times in a pattern going back to early 2017. The range is rather wide, with prices down more than a third from the highs hit in February 2018. The company is continuing to work with regulators to waylay concerns over its proposed acquisition of Celgene (NASDAQ:CELG).

The company will next report results on July 25 before the bell. Analysts are looking for earnings of $1.06 per share on revenues of $6.1 billion. When the company last reported on April 25, earnings of $1.10 beat estimates by two cents on a 14% rise in revenues.

As of this writing, William Roth held no positions in the aforementioned securities.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2019/07/4-drug-stocks-getting-smashed/.

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