C.R. BARD INC. $149 - New York symbol BCR

C.R. BARD INC. $149 (New York symbol BCR; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector; Shares outstanding: 74.6 million; Market cap: $11.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 3.7; Dividend yield: 0.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Above Average; www.crbard.comtarget=”_blank”) continues to develop successful new medical devices. For example, it should soon receive approval to start selling a catheter that uses a drug-coated balloon to treat clogged arteries. Products like this are helping Bard offset the 2.3% tax it has to pay on certain medical devices it sells in the U.S. under Obamacare.

In the second quarter of 2014, Bard’s earnings rose 22.0%, to $160.7 million from $131.7 million a year earlier. Earnings per share gained 29.6%, to $2.06 from $1.59. Revenue rose 8.8%, to $827.1 million from $759.9 million. Bard spends around 10% of its revenue on research.

The company recently increased its quarterly dividend by 4.8%, to $0.22 a share from $0.21. The stock has gained 30% in the past year, so the new annual rate of $0.88 yields just 0.6%.

C.R. Bard is a buy.

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