Health and Healthcare

Trump Corporate Tax Cuts Could Really Help These 4 Large Cap Companies

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One thing economic pundits have always talked about, regardless of which party held the reins of power, was the stifling U.S. corporate tax rate, which is among the highest in the world. President-elect Trump and House Republicans led by Speaker Paul Ryan both have plans to lower that rate and also allow a lower tax rate on cash large corporations hold overseas.

A new research report from JPMorgan makes the case that lowering the corporate tax rate could be huge for many large cap companies, and it points to five leading medical technology stocks that the firm believes could really benefit. Noted in their report:

Companies that would benefit the most from a lower US corporate tax rate tend to: (1) be earlier in their development cycle, (2) have a higher percentage of both their sales and profits in the US; or (3) they’ve yet to take advantage of some of the opportunities presented by more aggressive, long-term tax planning – be it around intellectual property, manufacturing, or transfer pricing.

Of the stocks JPMorgan thinks could see a large benefit, these are the four highest profile companies, which in addition are suitable for more aggressive growth portfolios.

Baxter International

This company has hit our insider buying screens over the past year. Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) provides a portfolio of renal and hospital products. Its Renal segment provides products and services to treat end-stage renal disease, irreversible kidney failure and acute kidney therapies. This segment offers a comprehensive portfolio to meet the needs of patients across the treatment continuum, including technologies and therapies for peritoneal dialysis, in-center hemodialysis (HD), home HD, continuous renal replacement therapy and additional dialysis services.

The Hospital Products segment manufactures intravenous (IV) solutions and administration sets, premixed drugs and drug-reconstitution systems, pre-filled vials and syringes for injectable drugs, IV nutrition products, infusion pumps, inhalation anesthetics and biosurgery products. This segment also provides products and services related to pharmacy compounding, drug formulation and packaging technologies.

Its shareholders are paid a 1.16% dividend. The Wall Street consensus price objective for the stock is $53.25. Baxter shares ended trading yesterday at $46.07 a share.

Edwards Lifesciences

This company pioneered the artificial heart valve, and it could be poised for big growth. Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (NYSE: EW) provides products and technologies to treat structural heart disease and critically ill patients worldwide. The company offers transcatheter heart valve therapy products, comprising transcatheter aortic heart valves and their delivery systems for the nonsurgical replacement of heart valves.

The company also provides surgical heart valve therapy products, such as pericardial valves for aortic and mitral replacement, and minimally invasive aortic heart valve system, as well as tissue heart valves and repair products, which are used to replace or repair a patient’s diseased or defective heart valve.

Top Wall Street analysts feel that the company’s acquisition of privately held CardiAQ earlier this year made good sense going forward. CardiAQ has human implants of transcatheter mitrial valves, and Edwards is focused on the mitrial valve opportunity after its very strong success in aortic valves. The company also has had tremendous success with transcatheter valve replacement. Transcatheter heart valve replacements are rapidly gaining favor in the medical community for use in those patients who are deemed unsuited for open heart surgery, and they are a fast growing revenue stream for the company.

The stock was hit hard recently and may be offering investors an attractive entry point. The consensus price target for the shares is $122.10. The stock closed Tuesday’s trading at $88.91 apiece.

Intuitive Surgical

This company has been a momentum trader’s dream over the past few years. Intuitive Surgical Inc. (NASDAQ: ISRG) designs, manufactures and markets da Vinci surgical systems and related instruments and accessories. Its da Vinci surgical system translates a surgeon’s natural 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 company’s da Vinci surgical system include surgeon’s consoles, patient-side carts, 3-D vision systems, da Vinci skills simulators and Firefly fluorescence imaging products that enable surgeons to perform various surgical procedures, including gynecologic, urologic, general, cardiothoracic, and head and neck surgical procedures.

One of the biggest reasons Intuitive Surgical stock has jumped almost 90% since its 2014 lows is because of its success in hernia operations. While robotic assistance for that operation still seems to have a lot of room to grow, it’s important to remember that the market is a forward-looking machine. In addition, there are other procedures where the da Vinci robotic surgical system could add value, and the company has delighted investors with huge profit growth.

The consensus price target for Intuitive Surgical is posted at $756.79. The stock closed yesterday at $640.55.

Zimmer Biomet

This was a huge 2015 merger that Wall Street has been positive on from the get-go. Zimmer Biomet Holdings Inc. (NYSE: ZBH) is a global leader in musculoskeletal health care. The company designs, manufactures and markets orthopaedic reconstructive products; sports medicine, biologics, extremities and trauma products; spine, bone healing, cranio maxillofacial and thoracic products; dental implants; and related surgical products.

The company reported weak third-quarter results, and top analysts chalk that up to what they termed as “unforeseen supply issues.” Management lowered guidance, and at this point it remains unclear exactly how far into 2017 these supply issues will linger, which brings us to question if double-digit earnings-per-share growth is a reasonable goal.

The $132.24 consensus price objective is much higher than where shares closed yesterday, at $101.45.

While the actual specifics of a lower corporate tax rate are still up in the air, the fact of the matter is there will be one. These companies are offering investors with a more aggressive stance an outstanding entry point.

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