Topic: How To Invest

Pat, what do you think of Laboratory Corporation of America as a buy for both its regular testing as well as its COVID-19 testing. Thank you.

Article Excerpt

A: Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings, or LabCorp, $171.44, symbol LH on New York (Shares outstanding: 97.2 million; Market cap: $16.5 billion; www.labcorp.com), provides comprehensive clinical laboratory services from locations throughout North America as well as drug development services such as research and clinical trials. LabCorp employs nearly 65,000 people from its based in Burlington, North Carolina, and across the U.S. The company’s Diagnostics segment accounts for 60% of its total revenue while its Covance Drug Development segment accounts for 40%. Sales in the U.S. comprise 77% of LabCorp’s revenue. The diagnostics laboratory market in the U.S. is fragmented and decentralized. With half of the market controlled by small, hospital-based labs, LabCorp has steadily acquired regional labs, aiming to add value by cutting costs through sharing administrative expenses. That strategy also lets the company share financing, purchasing and employee benefits among its locations. In 2019, LabCorp’s acquisitions included MNG Laboratories, an internationally recognized clinical diagnostic leader that specializes in biochemical testing for neurology;…