Topic: How To Invest

Dear, Pat. I would like to know your feelings on Teva Pharmaceuticals. Thanks.

Article Excerpt

A: Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., $16.51, symbol TEVA on New York (Shares outstanding: 1.1 billion; Market cap: $19.0 billion; www.tevapharm.com), is a global pharmaceutical company that produces generic and branded biopharmaceutical medicines. The company operates worldwide, with headquarters in Israel and a significant presence in the U.S., Europe and other markets. Teva has three segments: North America, Europe and International Markets. Each business segment manages the entire drug portfolio in its region. The biggest segment, North America, includes the U.S. and Canadian markets. Here, generic products account for 43% of Teva’s overall revenue. Generic drugs essentially imitate branded products. They contain the same active ingredients as branded drugs and are usually cheaper than their branded counterparts. This Teva segment markets about 500 generic prescription products. Branded drugs, by contrast, are newer and groundbreaking. Branded drug sales in North America represent 25% of Teva’s overall revenue. Note, branded drugs are usually more expensive than their generic cousins, and a generic imitation comes to market…