Topic: How To Invest

Hi Pat: What are your thoughts on Myriad Genetics and Heska Corp.?

Article Excerpt

Myriad Genetics, $36.06, symbol MYGN on Nasdaq (Shares outstanding: 74.8 million; Market cap: $2.7 billion; www.myriad.com), develops and sells genetic tests that can tell if a person has a higher risk of certain conditions, such as breast, colon or uterine cancers, as well as tendencies toward hypertension. In the three months ended March 31, 2014, Myriad’s sales rose 16.9%, to $182.9 million from $156.5 million a year earlier. Earnings per share, excluding one-time items, rose 30.4%, to $0.60 from $0.46. Myriad sells into a rapidly growing market. It’s also a leader, with products like its BRACAnalysis kits for breast cancer and other tools for detecting prostate cancer and other diseases. In addition, it has a promising pipeline of new tests to bring to market over the next three to five years. The company recently agreed to buy Crescendo Bioscience for $270 million. This privately held firm’s testing kits, which are mainly used for detecting autoimmune diseases, should further strengthen Myriad’s position in the…