Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN) : Perhaps best known as the developer of Botox, Allergan is a multi-specialty health company focused on developing and commercializing specialty pharmaceuticals and medical devices.
With regards to valuation, Allergan currently trades at a P/E of 30.57, which does not signal that the stock is undervalued. However, forward P/E is slightly more attractive, at 20.12. PEG is a bit high at 2.37. These ratios indicate that the market believes that Allergan can grow significantly in the next few years, and that it’s willing to pay a bit more for the stock than current earnings could justify. This seems to be the case in all the three stocks, as they all have above-average P/E ratios.
Analysts are moderately bullish on the stock; it has an average recommendation of 1.80 (buy/overweight) and an average price target of $114.85, which implies that the stock has an almost 5% upside potential from current price levels. The two most recent analyst reports (both in February) seem to echo the trend: Canaccord Genuity raised its price target to $111, and rated the stock a ‘hold,’ while Stifel Nicholaus rated it a ‘buy,’ and gave it a $118 price target.
In fact Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN) has had positive momentum since 2009 (it’s stock price is up 165%), and continues to perform well this year (up 19.32% YTD). The stock is 34.8% above its 52-wk low of $81.15, and just 2% off its all-time high of $111.84. The company also pays a minuscule dividend of $0.20/share, which works out to a yield of 0.18%. Allergan has paid a dividend to its shareholders since 1989. However, the current dividend yield is one of the lowest historically.
Future prospects are good for the company: Botox and other cosmetic and therapeutic products are expected to be huge revenue generators (the company states that sales of these products will rise 10% in 2013). However, Allergan is also growing beyond the cosmetic base. With the purchase of MAP Pharmaceuticals, and its star product Levadex, a migraine treatment, the company will make important inroads into more traditional pharmaceutic sectors. The earnings report last month showed that Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN)is growing at a healthy rate (EPS is up 15%), and has good momentum (the stock continued to rise despite the fact that earnings missed analyst estimates). It is also favorably viewed by analysts, and it even pays a small dividend. It is hardly a value stock, but it might be a good stock to consider if one wants to bet on the growth of the aesthetic treatment industry.
Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN) : The company designs, manufactures, and markets the Invisalign system, a method for treating malocclusion (accounting for 94% of the company’s revenues), as well as scanners and CAD/CAM services (accounting for the remaining 6%).
Align trades at a P/E of 46.89, which is higher than the group’s average. Forward P/E is slightly more attractive, at 22.80. As with Allergan, Inc. (NYSE:AGN), the market seems to believe that Align will experience good growth and is therefore willing to pay such a premium to current earnings.
Analysts are bullish on the stock: It has an average recommendation of 1.70 (buy/overweight), and an average target price of $36.83, which implies that the stock could go up 10.63% from current prices. In February, analysts at Stifel Nicholaus rated the stock a ‘buy’ and gave it a $38 price target. Also in February, Zacks upgraded Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN) to neutral, and gave it a $33 price target.
With regards to price moevemtns, the stock is 16.40% off its 52-wk high of $39.82, and 42% above its low of $23.45. As with Allergan, the stock has had a good run since 2009, and has gained about 20% YTD. Unlike Allergan, the company pays no dividend to its shareholders, and has never done so.
In January, Align reported earnings of $0.27/share, beating analyst estimates. Revenue was up almost 11%, and estimates are bullish. The key to profitability is that, in today’s society, Align Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:ALGN) has been able to develop and market a product that not only corrects malocclusion, but it does so invisibly. As a result, Align’s client base has grown rapidly, especially among the teenage population, and is now expanding into Europe and Asia, which could boost its clients and therefore the company’s revenues. Even though the valuations are high, the stock has good momentum, good growth prospects, and bullish analysts, so investors should consider it if investing in the sector.
Cynosure, Inc. (NASDAQ:CYNO), Inc. : The company develops and markets aesthetic treatment systems that are used by physicians and other practitioners to perform non-invasive and minimally invasive procedures to remove hair, treat vascular and pigmented lesions, rejuvenate the skin, liquefy and remove unwanted fat through laser lypolysis and reduce the appearance of cellulite.
With regards to valuation, Cynosure, Inc. (NASDAQ:CYNO) has a P/E of 38.27, higher than the group’s average. Forward P/E is also high, albeit less so, at 25.73.
