There are more than 200 healthcare companies traded on public markets. Given the sheer number of pharmaceutical companies, medical research firms, hospital systems, and other healthcare stocks, it can be hard to identify which healthcare companies will outperform the market.
Fortunately, Wall Street's brightest minds have already done this for us. Every year, analysts issue approximately 3,000 distinct recommendations for healthcare companies. Analysts don't always get their "buy" ratings right, but it's worth taking a hard look when several analysts from different brokerages and research firms are giving "strong-buy" and "buy" ratings to the same healthcare stock.
This slide show lists the 15 healthcare companies with the highest average analyst recommendations from Wall Street's equities research analysts over the last 12 months.
#1 - Smith & Nephew (NYSE:SNN)
- Consensus Rating
- Hold
- Rating Score
- 2.4
- Ratings Breakdown
- 2 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- N/A
About Smith & Nephew
Smith & Nephew plc, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells medical devices and services in the United Kingdom and internationally. It operates through three segments: Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT, and Advanced Wound Management. The company offers knee implant products for knee replacement procedures; hip implants for revision procedures; trauma and extremities products that include internal and external devices used in the stabilization of severe fractures and deformity correction procedures; and other reconstruction products.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#2 - United Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UTHR)
- Consensus Rating
- Moderate Buy
- Rating Score
- 2.9
- Ratings Breakdown
- 9 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $308.78 (16.1% Upside)
About United Therapeutics
United Therapeutics Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of products to address the unmet medical needs of patients with chronic and life-threatening diseases in the United States and internationally. The company offers Tyvaso DPI, an inhaled dry powder via pre-filled and single-use cartridges; Tyvaso, an inhaled solution via ultrasonic nebulizer; Remodulin (treprostinil) injection to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to diminish symptoms associated with exercise; Orenitram, a tablet dosage form of treprostinil, to delay disease progression and improve exercise capacity in PAH patients; and Adcirca, an oral PDE-5 inhibitor to enhance the exercise ability in PAH patients.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#3 - Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)
- Consensus Rating
- Moderate Buy
- Rating Score
- 2.8
- Ratings Breakdown
- 6 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $133.60 (3.2% Upside)
About Novo Nordisk A/S
Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, North America, and internationally. It operates in two segments, Diabetes and Obesity Care, and Rare Disease.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#4 - Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE:RDY)
- Consensus Rating
- Hold
- Rating Score
- 2.0
- Ratings Breakdown
- 1 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $81.00 (16.3% Upside)
About Dr. Reddy's Laboratories
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated pharmaceutical company worldwide. It operates through Global Generics, Pharmaceutical Services and Active Ingredients (PSAI), and Others segments. The company's Global Generics segment manufactures and markets prescription and over-the-counter finished pharmaceutical products that are marketed under a brand name or as a generic finished dosages with therapeutic equivalence to branded formulations.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
- Consensus Rating
- Hold
- Rating Score
- 2.0
- Ratings Breakdown
- 0 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $115.00 (13.2% Upside)
About Novartis
Novartis AG engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of healthcare products in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers prescription medicines for patients and physicians. It focuses on therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, immunology, neuroscience, and oncology, as well as ophthalmology and hematology.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
- Consensus Rating
- Hold
- Rating Score
- 2.4
- Ratings Breakdown
- 2 Buy Ratings, 3 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $55.00 (12.2% Upside)
About Sanofi
Sanofi, a healthcare company, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and marketing of therapeutic solutions in the United States, Europe, and internationally. It operates through Pharmaceuticals, Vaccines, and Consumer Healthcare segments. The company provides specialty care, such as DUPIXENT, neurology and immunology, rare diseases, oncology, and rare blood disorders; medicines for diabetes and cardiovascular diseases; and established prescription products.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
- Consensus Rating
- Hold
- Rating Score
- 2.4
- Ratings Breakdown
- 3 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- N/A
About GSK
GSK plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, and manufacture of vaccines, and specialty and general medicines to prevent and treat disease in the United Kingdom, the United States, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Commercial Operations and Total R&D.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#8 - Revolution Medicines (NASDAQ:RVMD)
- Consensus Rating
- Buy
- Rating Score
- 3.1
- Ratings Breakdown
- 10 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $41.60 (12.4% Upside)
About Revolution Medicines
Revolution Medicines, Inc, a clinical-stage precision oncology company, develops novel targeted therapies for RAS-addicted cancers. The company's research and development pipeline comprises RAS(ON) inhibitors designed to be used as monotherapy in combination with other RAS(ON) inhibitors and/or in combination with RAS companion inhibitors or other therapeutic agents, and RAS companion inhibitors for combination treatment strategies.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
- Consensus Rating
- Buy
- Rating Score
- 3.0
- Ratings Breakdown
- 7 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $211.75 (25.0% Upside)
About Zoetis
Zoetis Inc engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
- Consensus Rating
- Buy
- Rating Score
- 3.0
- Ratings Breakdown
- 4 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $78.50 (19.6% Upside)
About Vaxcyte
Vaxcyte, Inc, a clinical-stage biotechnology vaccine company, develops novel protein vaccines to prevent or treat bacterial infectious diseases. Its lead vaccine candidate is VAX-24, a 24-valent investigational pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for the prevention of invasive pneumococcal disease. The company also develops VAX-31 to protect against emerging strains and to help address antibiotic resistance; VAX-A1, a novel conjugate vaccine candidate to prevent disease caused by Group A Streptococcus; VAX-PG, a novel protein vaccine candidate targeting keystone pathogen responsible for periodontitis; and VAX-GI to prevent Shigella, a bacterial illness.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#11 - Encompass Health (NYSE:EHC)
- Consensus Rating
- Buy
- Rating Score
- 3.1
- Ratings Breakdown
- 8 Buy Ratings, 0 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $90.29 (4.9% Upside)
About Encompass Health
Encompass Health Corporation provides post-acute healthcare services in the United States and Puerto Rico. It owns and operates inpatient rehabilitation hospitals that provide medical, nursing, therapy, and ancillary services. The company provides specialized rehabilitative treatment on an inpatient basis to patients who have experienced physical or cognitive disabilities or injuries due to medical conditions, such as strokes, hip fractures, and various debilitating neurological conditions.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#12 - Jazz Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:JAZZ)
- Consensus Rating
- Moderate Buy
- Rating Score
- 2.8
- Ratings Breakdown
- 11 Buy Ratings, 2 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $192.75 (70.7% Upside)
About Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc identifies, develops, and commercializes pharmaceutical products for unmet medical needs in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company offers Xywav for cataplexy or excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) with narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia; Xyrem to treat cataplexy or EDS with narcolepsy; Epidiolex for seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut and Dravet syndromes, or tuberous sclerosis complex; Zepzelca to treat metastatic small cell lung cancer, or with disease progression on or after platinum-based chemotherapy; Rylaze for acute lymphoblastic leukemia or lymphoblastic lymphoma; Enrylaze to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia and lymphoblastic lymphoma; Defitelio to treat severe hepatic veno-occlusive disease; and Vyxeos for newly-diagnosed therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#13 - Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE:FMS)
- Consensus Rating
- Hold
- Rating Score
- 2.1
- Ratings Breakdown
- 2 Buy Ratings, 4 Hold Ratings, 1 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $24.00 (9.9% Upside)
About Fresenius Medical Care
Fresenius Medical Care AG provides dialysis and related services for individuals with renal diseases in Germany, North America, and internationally. The company offers dialysis treatment and related laboratory and diagnostic services through a network of outpatient dialysis clinics; materials, training, and patient support services comprising clinical monitoring, follow-up assistance, and arranging for delivery of the supplies to the patient's residence; and dialysis services under contract to hospitals in the United States for the hospitalized end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and for patients suffering from acute kidney failure.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#14 - Elevance Health (NYSE:ELV)
- Consensus Rating
- Moderate Buy
- Rating Score
- 2.9
- Ratings Breakdown
- 12 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $587.42 (8.5% Upside)
About Elevance Health
Elevance Health, Inc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a health benefits company in the United States. The company operates through four segments: Health Benefits, CarelonRx, Carelon Services, and Corporate & Other. It offers a variety of health plans and services to program members; health products; an array of fee-based administrative managed care services; and specialty and other insurance products and services, such as stop loss, dental, vision, life, disability, and supplemental health insurance benefits.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
#15 - Bio-Rad Laboratories (NYSE:BIO)
- Consensus Rating
- Moderate Buy
- Rating Score
- 2.8
- Ratings Breakdown
- 4 Buy Ratings, 1 Hold Ratings, 0 Sell Ratings.
- Consensus Price Target
- $461.00 (64.4% Upside)
About Bio-Rad Laboratories
Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc manufactures and distributes life science research and clinical diagnostic products in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. It operates through two segments, Life Science and Clinical Diagnostics. The company develops, manufactures, and markets instruments, systems, reagents, and consumables to separate, purify, characterize, and quantitate biological materials such as cells, proteins, and nucleic acids for proteomics, genomics, biopharmaceutical production, cellular biology, and food safety markets.
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Recent Analyst Ratings
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