Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: Could you give me your opinion on the following stock: Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp.? Thanks for all your advice.

Article Excerpt

Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp., $34.78, symbol MRX on New York (Shares outstanding: 61.7 million; Market cap: $2.2 billion; www.medicis.com), makes treatments for skin conditions. Medicis mainly sells its products to wholesale drug distributors. The company’s growth strategy has four parts: increase sales of existing products; develop and launch new products; buy products and businesses that complement its current lineup; and collaborate with other companies. In the fourth quarter of 2010, Medicis’ earnings fell 11.7%, to $0.60 a share from $0.68 a share a year earlier. The company’s acne-products segment saw strong demand for its Solodyn, Triaz and Ziana products. Sales of (non-acne) drugs Dysport and Restylane were also strong. The recovering U.S. economy and the company’s successful marketing efforts were the main reasons for the higher sales. However, these gains were more than offset by an increase in the company’s operating costs. Even so, the stock jumped in late February after the company entered a settlement that will let Teva Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq…