Becton Dickinson

(A Top Pick Nov 02/18, Up 11%) Medical supplies giant. They've been around for 100 year. Syringes are their big product. They made a large acquisition but are paying down debt. They continue their investment grade credit. The medical supply business has done better than pharmaceuticals.

Favorable time to own health stocks in front of the US elections. A very solid investment you can certainly sleep at night with it. Would be a bit cautious on the purchase price and buy it on a downturn.

Just because the population is aging, doesn't mean you'll benefit from it. BDX is in medical supplies, not drugs, supplying hospitals. They've pulled back a little, because a product is under FDA review. They have a good record of raising their dividend, and they have a long runway of opportunities ahead. (Analysts’ price target is $259.67)

One of the solid players in the sector. The Health Care sector has been disrupted before elections as politicians take it out on the companies in the sector. Great time to buy it and hold it riding the volatility until the election.

A century-old company. Stumbled last quarter after the FDA pulled a product of theirs. They are great operators. They are paying down debt after an acquisition, but that will be finished soon. They have a wide moat. Good valuation, a slow grower and big in countries like China. Definitely look at it after a pullback.

He owns Stryker. BDX has been more acquisitive, and those products expose you more to lawsuits if things go wrong. They didn't have real, organic growth. You could also look at Thermal Fisher Scientific (TMO) for medical instrumentation, which he also owns.

50% recurring revenues, 50% new sales, so very stable. Recently, the tool space has rocketed. Pays a nice dividend, but he prefers WAT with a better balance sheet.

He hasn't looked at this in a decade. It had a bad week last week. His target is $192.75. It's close to his fair market value metric, so he likes it here.

A hundred year ago they started making syringes and needles. All the consumables in hospitals they make. They are very big in the category so they have pricing power. Dividend is rising at 10% clip.

They made a huge acquisition a few years ago and took on debt. They are OK financially but they overpaid for the company. He prefers other areas in the Health Care space. It is a big question mark how they integrate this company.

(A Top Pick Jan 04/18, Up 10%) They had a tremendous catalogue of hospital supplies, mostly one-time use items. Every hospital uses their stuff.

Has been around for 100 years. Valuation is 15x earnings for 2021. Stock jumped today. Big free cash flow company. Made an acquisition of Bard, another free cash flow giant, so they're paying down debt quickly. So they'll have cash to make acquisitions or grow dividend. In comparing retail to medical devices, he'd always pick the medical device company.

The oldest manufacturer of syringes and other medical devices. There is good growth in emerging countries. They will pay down debt and have attractive dividend growth. (Analysts’ price target is $263.10)

Has owned for a while. One of the more defensive companies you can own. Medical things you can only use once. Sells a suite of products and software to hospitals. Lots of EM opportunities. Still has to pay down debt from an acquisition, but but in 12-18 months should be ready for another. Good place to be with aging demographics, especially in US.

Merely an okay last quarter with cost increases and more debt after an acquisition. Resin cost inputs are worth watching. Trades at 18x earnings. Watching this closely. Neutral.