The following are the top rated Healthcare stocks according to Validea's Patient Investor model based on the published strategy of Warren Buffett. This strategy seeks out firms with long-term, predictable profitability and low debt that trade at reasonable valuations.
CHEMED CORPORATION (CHE) is a mid-cap growth stock in the Healthcare Facilities industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett is 85% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Chemed Corporation purchases, operates and divests subsidiaries engaged in various business activities. The Company operates through two segments: the VITAS segment (VITAS) and the Roto-Rooter segment (Roto-Rooter). The Company's VITAS provides hospice and palliative care services to its patients through a network of physicians, registered nurses, home health aides, social workers, clergy and volunteers. VITAS is the provider of hospice services in an industry dominated primarily by small, non-profit, community-based hospices. VITAS provides hospice care to Medicare beneficiaries participating in these managed care programs. A portion of its VITAS business is operated in the state of Florida. The Roto-Rooter segment provides plumbing, drain cleaning, water restoration and other related services to both residential and commercial customers.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | NEUTRAL |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of CHEMED CORPORATION
MEDIFAST INC (MED) is a small-cap growth stock in the Biotechnology & Drugs industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett is 85% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Medifast, Inc. produces, distributes and sells weight loss, weight management, and healthy living products, and other consumable health and nutritional products. The Company's product lines include weight loss, weight management, and healthy living meal replacements, snacks, hydration products, and vitamins. Its business units include Optavia, Medifast Direct, Franchise Medifast Weight Control Centers (MWCC) and Medifast Wholesale. Optavia is a personal coaching division of the Company that consists of Optavia Coaches, who provides coaching and support to clients utilizing the Optavia platform. Medifast Direct is its direct-to-consumer business unit that allows customers to order Medifast products directly through its Website or its in-house call center. The MWCC business unit sells product through franchise and reseller locations, which offers structured programs and a team of professionals to help customers achieve weight-loss and weight-management success at center locations.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | NEUTRAL |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of MEDIFAST INC
CORVEL CORPORATION (CRVL) is a small-cap growth stock in the Healthcare Facilities industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett is 79% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: CorVel Corporation (Corvel) is a provider of workers' compensation solutions for employers, third party administrators, insurance companies and government agencies. The Company offers its services as a bundled solution, which includes claims management, as a standalone service, or as add-on services to existing customers. The Company offers its services as a bundled solution, which includes claims management, as a standalone service, or as add-on services to existing customers. The Company's network solutions include bill review, preferred provider organization (PPO) management, professional review, provider reimbursement, pharmacy services, directed care services, medicare solutions and clearinghouse services. The Company's patient management services include claims management, case management, 24/7 nurse triage, utilization management, vocational rehabilitation, life care planning, disability management, liability claims management and auto claims management.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | FAIL |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | PASS |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | PASS |
Detailed Analysis of CORVEL CORPORATION
INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC. (ISRG) is a large-cap growth stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett is 77% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (Intuitive) designs, manufactures and markets da Vinci Surgical Systems, and related instruments and accessories. The Company's da Vinci Surgical System consists of a surgeon's console, a patient-side cart and a vision system. The da Vinci Surgical System translates a surgeon's hand movements, which are performed on instrument controls at a console, into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small incisions or ports. The da Vinci Surgical System provides its operating surgeons with control, range of motion, tissue manipulation capability and three-dimensional (3-D), high-definition (HD) vision. Intuitive has four generations of da Vinci Surgical System: the da Vinci Xi Surgical System, the da Vinci Si Surgical System, the da Vinci S Surgical System and the standard da Vinci Surgical System. The Company's instruments and accessories include EndoWrist Instruments and da Vinci Single-Site.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | PASS |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | NEUTRAL |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of INTUITIVE SURGICAL, INC.
ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC. (ALGN) is a large-cap value stock in the Medical Equipment & Supplies industry. The rating according to our strategy based on Warren Buffett is 72% based on the firm’s underlying fundamentals and the stock’s valuation. A score of 80% or above typically indicates that the strategy has some interest in the stock and a score above 90% typically indicates strong interest.
Company Description: Align Technology, Inc. designs, manufactures and markets a system of clear aligner therapy, intra-oral scanners and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) digital services used in dentistry, orthodontics and dental records storage. The Company operates through two segments: Clear Aligner segment and Scanner and Services (Scanner) segment. The Clear Aligner segment consists of its Invisalign System, which includes Invisalign Full, Teen and Assist (Comprehensive Products), Express/Lite (Non-Comprehensive Products) and Vivera Retainers, along with its training and ancillary products for treating malocclusion (Non-Case). The Scanner segment consists of intra-oral scanning systems and other services available with the intra-oral scanners that provide digital alternatives to the traditional cast models. The Scanner segment includes its iTero scanner and OrthoCAD services.
The following table summarizes whether the stock meets each of this strategy's tests. Not all criteria in the below table receive equal weighting or are independent, but the table provides a brief overview of the strong and weak points of the security in the context of the strategy's criteria.
| EARNINGS PREDICTABILITY: | PASS |
| DEBT SERVICE: | PASS |
| RETURN ON EQUITY: | FAIL |
| RETURN ON TOTAL CAPITAL: | PASS |
| FREE CASH FLOW: | PASS |
| USE OF RETAINED EARNINGS: | PASS |
| SHARE REPURCHASE: | PASS |
| INITIAL RATE OF RETURN: | PASS |
| EXPECTED RETURN: | FAIL |
Detailed Analysis of ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
More details on Validea's Warren Buffett strategy
About Warren Buffett: Warren Buffett is considered by many to be the greatest investor of all time. As the chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett has consistently outperformed the S&P 500 for decades, and in the process has become one of the world's richest men. (Forbes puts his net worth at $37 billion.) Despite his fortune, Buffett is known for living a modest lifestyle, by billionaire standards. His primary residence remains the gray stucco Nebraska home he purchased for $31,500 nearly 50 years ago, according to Forbes, and his folksy Midwestern manner and penchant for simple pleasures -- a cherry Coke, a good burger, and a good book are all near the top of the list -- have been well-documented.
About Validea: Validea is aninvestment researchservice that follows the published strategies of investment legends. Validea offers both stock analysis and model portfolios based on gurus who have outperformed the market over the long-term, including Warren Buffett, Benjamin Graham, Peter Lynch and Martin Zweig. For more information about Validea, click here
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
