8 Best Healthcare Stocks to Keep an Eye On in 2019

Updated on July 7, 2020

Did you know that in 2016 the Federal Reserve Board found that 51.9% of families owned stocks?

With over 50% of families owning stocks it’s no surprise that people are searching for more stocks to diversify their portfolio and increase their finances.

Have you been looking to invest in the healthcare industry recently? If you have been you’re in the right place.

Keep reading to learn the 8 best healthcare stocks to consider this year.

8 Best Healthcare Stocks to look out for in 2019

If you’re already investing in the stock market then you might be curious about the best health care stocks to invest in. Health care is an economic segment where spending has gone up much faster than inflation.

Because Washington hasn’t done anything about this yet individual investors are making huge profits. You can always keep up with stock news from the comfort of wherever you are as long as you have access to the internet.

1. Centene Corp (CNC)

This is a health insurer based in St. Louis. Their niche is focused on those that are underinsured and the uninsured. They are expecting the earnings and the revenue of CNC to rise this year.

Another reason to look into investing in CNC is that they are a pharmacy benefit manager. This means that they have the power to negotiate lower drug prices for its members because of the volume being bought.

2. Intuitive Surgical (ISRG)

This company launched its first robotic surgical system in 1999 called the da Vinci. They believe that their robotic surgical systems will deliver better outcomes when people have surgeries and will also lower costs for the healthcare system.

The surgical approach that they use is minimally invasive which can reduce hospitalization time by half. The last three years Intuitive Surgical has projected lower growth in procedure volume than it delivered. This means that 2019 is showing promising signs of procedure growth.

3. Teladoc Health (TDOC)

This company provides virtual healthcare services like no other out there. They have the highest global reach with a comprehensive suite of services.

Faster service is a big plus for customers in today’s society. This is exactly what Teladoc delivers. They reduce the time to drive to a doctors office, wait in the waiting room, go to the pharmacy and wait some more.

Thanks to Teladoc patients can save all that time and instead talk with a qualified health professional from anywhere they are and without traveling to them. They have plenty of stats to show that so far they have saved customers millions of dollars thanks to their services.

Teladoc plans to continue expanding into new international markets. This stock shows to be a promising investment this year.

4. Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

This stock is completely backed up by its long term name. The pharmaceutical division of Johnson & Johnson shows to be one of its fastest growing segments within the company. They currently have dozens of drugs in the pipeline plus licensing agreement opportunities along with acquisition opportunities as well.

Johnson & Johnson has a trusted brand name and long term distribution advantages making it a wise health care stock to look into in 2019.

5. CVS Health Corp (CVS)

Who hasn’t heard of CVS or walked into one of the many chain stores across the country? When CVS finished its acquisition of Aetna it transformed the pharmacy chain. They are currently working on emphasizing MinuteClinic for people that carry Aetna insurance.

There plan is to boost margins for its Aetna division and cut costs for everyone. They also plan to give incentives to their existing Aetna customers for coming in for their simple health care needs. This, in turn, will increase the number of people walking into CVS and raise their customer loyalty.

CVS currently pays a 3.2 percent dividend and trades for nine times forward earnings – this alone makes it a hot stock to buy this year.

6. AbbVie (ABBV)

This company owns the best-selling drug in the entire world – Humira. The sales alone for Humira have gone into the billions in one quarter alone. There isn’t a competition for Humira making AbbVie a promising investment.

The average cost for the drug is $5,000 for those without insurance. ABBV trades at 10 times forward earnings and it has a 4.9% dividend. 

The last 45 years ABBV has increased its dividend payment annually. This makes it another promising stock to invest your money into.

7. Align Technology (ALGN)

This is a $17 billion company with a future that looks very promising. If you have heard of Invisalign before Align is the company that makes Invisalign. Invisalign is an alternative to metal braces correcting teeth in a less invasive manner.

Currently, their market share is about 13% and they have zero debt. On top of this, there was a recent deal to take a large stake in Smile Direct Club which is currently its competitor.

8. Becton Dickinson and Co. (BDX)

This company has been around since 1897 giving it over 100 years under its belt of building up its name. They are one of the top leaders in medical supplies and diagnostics. They have quite a few things they sell including anesthesia needles and antiseptic products.

Becton Dickinson has been increasing its payout every year ever since Richard Nixon was president. This is another healthcare stock you want to look into investing in this year.

Ready to Invest?

As you can see there are plenty of options when it comes to investing in the best healthcare stocks this year. Now is the time to choose one or multiple stocks to increase your stock portfolio.

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Throughout the year, our writers feature fresh, in-depth, and relevant information for our audience of 40,000+ healthcare leaders and professionals. As a healthcare business publication, we cover and cherish our relationship with the entire health care industry including administrators, nurses, physicians, physical therapists, pharmacists, and more. We cover a broad spectrum from hospitals to medical offices to outpatient services to eye surgery centers to university settings. We focus on rehabilitation, nursing homes, home care, hospice as well as men’s health, women’s heath, and pediatrics.