Topic: How To Invest

Pat: When you have a chance, would you mind reviewing Five Star Quality Care? Thanks.

Article Excerpt

Five Star Quality Care Inc., $3.13, symbol FVE on New York (Shares outstanding: 47.9 million; Market cap: $149.9 million; www.fivestarseniorliving.com), owns, leases and manages seniors’ communities throughout the U.S. It also operates five pharmacies and two rehabilitation hospitals. In the three months ended March 31, 2012, Five Star’s revenue rose 12.5%, to $346.1 million from $307.6 million a year earlier. However, its earnings plunged to $0.02 a share from $0.15 a share. The revenue increase mostly came from acquisitions. The earnings decline was partly the result of cuts to Medicare funding that went into effect in October 2011. The company’s labour costs are also rising. Finding qualified employees remains a problem for Five Star and the senior-care industry as a whole. This will become even harder when a recovering economy gives workers more options. As well, a big part of Five Star’s revenue comes from government-funded programs, mainly Medicaid and Medicare. All of these funding programs are subject to extensive and frequently changing laws,…