Bard is growing on all fronts

Article Excerpt

C.R. BARD INC. $166 (New York symbol BCR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 74.9 million; Market cap: $12.4 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.9; Dividend yield: 0.5%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www. crbard.com) makes over 15,000 medical devices in four main areas: oncology products that detect and treat various types of cancer (28% of 2013 sales); vascular products, like stents and catheters (27%); urology goods, such as drainage and incontinence devices (26%); and surgical tools (16%). Other medical products supply the remaining 3%. The company’s products are typically only used once, so customers must continually buy new ones. Acquisition targets fit well Bard is also benefiting from its new growth strategy, which involves selling slower-growing businesses and buying other medical device makers. In the past three years, Bard has spent over $1.1 billion on acquisitions. That includes $298.0 million for Lutonix, which has developed a drug-coated balloon for treating clogged leg arteries. Regulators recently approved this product for sale in…