Healthcare problems hurt McKesson

Article Excerpt

MCKESSON CORP. $166 (New York symbol MCK; Aggressive Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 226.1 million; Market cap: $37.5 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.2; Dividend yield 0.7%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.mckesson.com) is the largest wholesale drug distributor in the U.S. and Canada. The company recently merged most of its Technology Solutions business with Change Healthcare Holdings Inc. That McKesson business makes computers and software to help clinics and pharmacies manage their drug inventories. Change Healthcare is a private firm that makes software to help hospitals, clinics and doctors manage their billing activities. McKesson now owns about 70% of the merged company. As part of the deal, it also received $1.26 billion. Excluding unusual items, McKesson now expects to earn between $11.75 and $12.45 a share for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018. The stock has gained 18% since the start of 2017, yet trades at just 13.7 times the midpoint of that range. That low p/e reflects uncertainty surrounding U.S. President Donald Trump’s…