Topic: How To Invest

Pat: Valeant Pharmaceuticals is in the news these days with a big acquisition. What do you think of the stock?

Article Excerpt

Valeant Pharmaceuticals, $147.02, symbol VRX on Toronto (Shares outstanding: 333.4 million; Market cap: $49.8 billion; www.valeant.com), is a multinational specialty pharmaceutical company that develops, makes and markets a broad range of products, mainly in the areas of neurology, dermatology and generic drugs. On September 28, 2010, Biovail Corporation purchased Montreal-based Valeant Pharmaceuticals International. The combined company took on the Valeant name. Valeant continues to grow by acquisition: in the past few years, it has spent over $19 billion buying more than 35 companies. In 2011, it bought Edmonton-based Afex Life Sciences, maker of the over-the-counter cold and flu remedy Cold-FX. In late 2012, it added Medicis Pharmaceuticals for $2.6 billion. Medicis is a global leader in dermatology products, including the largest acne brand, and facial aesthetics, such as dermal fillers to reduce wrinkles. Valeant made more than a dozen other acquisitions in 2012, including iNova, which sells and distributes prescription and over-the-counter products in Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and South Africa. It also…