Editor’s Note: The initial article references Cardinal’s safety issues. Upon further inspection, we found this to be misleading. This version has been corrected and Motley Fool apologizes for the error.
The world of wholesale medical companies sure ought to be a good deal, particularly with the recession over with. After all, the population is aging and has fixed incomes that can barely cover the huge number of prescriptions most people take on as they get older. Obesity is at an all-time high, with two-thirds of the adult population being overweight. So it makes sense that anything that lets health care be cheaper would be a solid investment if the companies are well run and a good deal. Let’s check out a few possible candidates for your portfolio.
Good deals can be expensive
Unfortunately, silver clouds have dark linings. Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE:CAH) may be forced to cut its rather nice 2.5% dividend in the near future because of cash-management issues. Cardinal could still be a good long-term contrarian play, but there’s no guarantee that the worst times are ending. If you’ve got a cast-iron stomach, this could be a decent place to put some “wild” money.
Big deals aren’t always good ones
McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) has been on the cutting edge of many newer technologies, like RFID tags and pharmacy robotics. It was even one of the earliest to adopt bar codes on prescriptions during distribution. Also, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) has seen hard times through in the past, having been part of a massive scandal named for its earlier incarnation and changing the way auditing is handled. As one of the oldest operating companies in the US and the 14th largest, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) has proven itself to be a survivor. But is it a good deal?
Trading for 3.8 times its book value and around 21 times its earnings, one would be hard pressed to call McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) an especially good deal. While the company does hold a lock on 77% of the health systems in the US and is gradually expanding into other countries, the fact that it’s turning a 1.1% profit margin doesn’t sit well. Unless McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) can turn up its profits or drop its price substantially without developing some kind of fundamental issue, I would recommend avoiding this company.
Struggling to make a deal
AmerisourceBergen Corp. (NYSE:ABC) is intriguing because it came about through a merger of two companies that McKesson and Cardinal Health tried to purchase. With roughly $81 billion in annual revenue, AmerisourceBergen Corp. (NYSE:ABC) is the largest company headquartered in Pennsylvania. The company also has a wide network that includes acute care centers, doctors’ offices, clinics and retail pharmacies.
Unfortunately, this might not all be enough even put together. With only a 0.7% profit margin and no significant scandals in its recent history, anything that goes wrong in the future could cause serious issues for AmerisourceBergen. Also, despite massive sales, the company is trading for more than 5 times its book value and more than 23 times its earnings. In short, the company is just not a good buy at its price as of this writing.
The Foolish bottom line
The distribution networks for prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs and medical equipment sound like a cash cow. Unfortunately, the complications of keeping such systems together make profitability a hard row to hoe. As of this moment, I don’t see any great deals in this sector.
The article The Search for Good Prescription Drug Value originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Chris Hodge.
Chris is a member of The Motley Fool Blog Network — entries represent the personal opinion of the blogger and are not formally edited.
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