3 Healthcare Stocks Skating on Thin Ice

From novel pharmaceuticals to telemedicine, most healthcare companies are on a mission to drive better patient outcomes. But speed bumps such as inventory destockings have persisted in the wake of COVID-19, and over the past six months, the industry has pulled back by 6%. This drop is a stark contrast from the S&P 500’s 7.5% gain.

While some businesses have durable competitive advantages that enable them to grow consistently, the odds aren’t great for the ones we’re analyzing today. With that said, here are three healthcare stocks we’re swiping left on.

Option Care Health (OPCH)

Market Cap: $5.02 billion

With a nationwide network of 177 locations serving 43 states and a team of over 4,500 clinicians, Option Care Health (NASDAQ:OPCH) is the largest independent provider of home and alternate site infusion services, delivering medications and clinical support to patients across the United States.

Why Are We Cautious About OPCH?

Option Care Health is trading at $30.91 per share, or 18.5x forward P/E. Dive into our free research report to see why there are better opportunities than OPCH.

Henry Schein (HSIC)

Market Cap: $9.03 billion

With a vast inventory of over 300,000 products stocked in distribution centers spanning more than 5.3 million square feet worldwide, Henry Schein (NASDAQ:HSIC) is a global distributor of healthcare products and services primarily to dental practices, medical offices, and other healthcare facilities.

Why Does HSIC Fall Short?

1. Core business is underperforming as its organic revenue has disappointed over the past two years, suggesting it might need acquisitions to stimulate growth
2. Demand will likely be soft over the next 12 months as Wall Street’s estimates imply tepid growth of 3.4%
3. Shrinking returns on capital suggest that increasing competition is eating into the company’s profitability

At $74.16 per share, Henry Schein trades at 15x forward P/E. To fully understand why you should be careful with HSIC, check out our full research report (it’s free).

Premier (PINC)

Market Cap: $1.78 billion

Operating one of the largest healthcare group purchasing organizations in the United States with over 4,350 hospital members, Premier (NASDAQ:PINC) is a technology-driven healthcare improvement company that helps hospitals, health systems, and other providers reduce costs and improve clinical outcomes.

Why Should You Sell PINC?

1. Annual sales declines of 9.3% for the past two years show its products and services struggled to connect with the market during this cycle
2. Sales are expected to decline once again over the next 12 months as it continues working through a challenging demand environment
3. Falling earnings per share over the last five years has some investors worried as stock prices ultimately follow EPS over the long term

Premier’s stock price of $21.59 implies a valuation ratio of 16.1x forward P/E. Check out our free in-depth research report to learn more about why PINC doesn’t pass our bar.

Stocks We Like More

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