4 Top Health Care Stocks For Your November 2021 Watchlist
Like it or not, health care remains a crucial and growing industry in the world today. Because of this, some would argue that health care stocks remain viable plays in the stock market now. Generally speaking, the health care industry continues to play a major role in the ongoing fight against the pandemic. From biotech firms creating coronavirus vaccines to health care giants providing day-to-day care, this is apparent. For one thing, there are certainly plenty of players to consider in the health care stock trade today.
For instance, we could look at vaccine companies such as Moderna (NASDAQ: MRNA) and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ). Since receiving the green light from U.S. regulators last week, the duo have inoculated about 1.5 million Americans with booster shots. Not to mention, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are already considering the possibility of a fourth shot for the immunocompromised. Aside from that, there are also other notable developments to note in the health care industry regularly. Take HCW Biologics (NASDAQ: HCWB), for example. Earlier today, the company received FDA clearance to advance studies on its pancreatic cancer treatment.
Overall, these are but two instances of the health care industry’s current happenings. Supporting all of this would be President Joe Biden’s plan to expand nationwide health care programs. The likes of which are part of his $1.75 trillion domestic spending package and will likely see the expansion of Medicare benefits. Ideally, all this would see more federal funding heading towards health care, if the bill is passed. Should you be keen on investing in the top health care stocks in the stock market today, here are four to watch this upcoming week.
Top Health Care Stocks To Watch Right Now
- Merck & Company Inc. (NYSE: MRK)
- Community Health Systems Inc. (NYSE: CYH)
- Teladoc Health Inc. (NYSE: TDOC)
- Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE)
Merck & Company
First up, we have Merck, a multinational pharmaceutical company with headquarters in New Jersey. It is a premier research-intensive company with over 130 years of experience. The company has created game-changing medicine and vaccines to treat many of the world’s most challenging diseases. MRK stock currently trades at $88.05 as of Friday’s close.
Today, the company has just announced its third-quarter financials. Diving in, the company reported worldwide sales of $13.2 billion, up by 20% year-over-year. Notably, its Keytruda sales grew by 22% to $4.5 billion, while Gardasil/Gardasil 9 sales grew by 68% to $2 billion.
Merck also posted a GAAP net income from continuing operations of $4.56 billion, almost doubling from a year earlier. It also says that it achieved strong performance across its key pillars of Oncology, Vaccines, and Animal Health. It also progressed in its regulatory applications, securing multiple regulatory approvals. With that being said, is MRK stock a top health care stock to consider watching right now?
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Community Health Systems Inc.
Next up, we have Community Health Systems, one of the largest providers of general hospital healthcare services. For over 30 years, the company has delivered a wide range of health services and functions to local communities. Given that it is one of the largest hospital organizations in the country, its size provides an advantageous economy of scale and critical resources to help local hospitals identify and act on opportunities. CYH stock currently trades at $13.10 as of the close of Friday’s trading session and is up by over 9%. Investors are likely responding positively to the company’s latest quarter financials.
Firstly, it reported a net operating revenue of $3.115 billion. This was driven by increase demand for the company’s services. Secondly, net income attributable to stockholders was $111 million or $0.85 per diluted share.
Commenting on the results, Tim L. Hingtgen, chief executive officer of Community Health Systems, Inc., said, “During the third quarter, we experienced the largest number of COVID-19 cases to date. We are grateful to our medical staff, clinical support teams, and hospital leaders who again ensured exceptional care for their patients during this latest surge. We are also pleased with our results this quarter, especially as we balanced the demands of caring for COVID-19 patients while remaining focused on our growth strategies, key investments, and operational improvement plans, which we believe will continue to drive positive results in the future.” For these reasons, should you consider investing in CYH stock today?
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Teladoc Health Inc.
Teladoc Health is a telemedicine and virtual health care company. Being a global leader in whole-person virtual care, it offers its users the technology to connect and expertise that can be trusted. The company uses its proprietary health signals and personalized interactions to drive better health outcomes across the full spectrum of care, at every stage in a person’s health journey.
On October 27, 2021, the company reported its third-quarter financials, beating consensus estimates. Revenue grew by 81% year-over-year to $522 million. This was supported by 3.9 million total visits for the quarter, a 37% increase compared to a year earlier.
It also signed new agreements with CVS Health and Centene to provide Teladoc Health’s Primary 360 to deliver greater care access and health engagement. With such impressive financials, will you consider watching TDOC stock?
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Pfizer Inc.
Next up, we will be taking a look at Pfizer, a pioneering name in the coronavirus vaccine field. Safe to say, the company needs no introduction. From its vaccines to over-the-counter products, many would be familiar with Pfizer to some extent. For the better part of the past two centuries, the company has and continues to cater to the health care needs of countless consumers. Shares of PFE stock have enjoyed year-to-date gains of over 15%, could the company’s shares be worth jumping on now?
Well, for one thing, Pfizer continues to receive positive regulatory news regarding its vaccine. Earlier this week, the U.S. FDA recommended a low dose of Pfizer’s Covid vaccine for children ages 5 to 11.
In detail, this endorsement could potentially provide about 28 million more children protection against the virus in the U.S. Accordingly, Pfizer also revealed plans to provide an additional 50 million pediatric doses of its vaccine to the U.S. government earlier today. All in all, the company appears to be kicking into high gear now in its ongoing fight against the pandemic. Could all this make PFE stock a top watch for you?
