Pfizer Inc.

A: Three main factors continue to drive demand for healthcare products and services: the rapid aging of the population in developed countries; the expansion of medical services in developing countries; and significant new developments in the field of medical technology and innovation.

The iShares Global Healthcare ETF, $66.31, symbol IXJ on New York (Units outstanding: 31.8 million; Market cap: $2.1 billion; www.ishares.com/us), invests globally in healthcare companies.

The fund tracks the S&P Global Healthcare Index....

Successful investors, like successful businesses, need to keep an open mind about the way they do things. Neither one can afford to keep doing something just because “we’ve always done it that way.” That applies to investing basics such as bonds.

Many casual investors, financial journalists and brokers take it for granted that owning some bonds is a good thing....

T. ROWE PRICE GROUP INC. $127 (www.troweprice.com) is a buy. This leading seller of mutual funds and wealth management services will now raise your quarterly dividend 18.4%. With the March 2020 payment, investors will receive $0.90 a share instead of $0.76....

Linamar’s shares were trading as high as $80.59 a share in November 2017. They have since fallen to $39.53—a 50.9% drop in market value. That includes the 20.1% decrease since the start of 2020. Some investors worry this downward trend will continue, mainly because the company is often viewed as simply an auto-parts supplier, overly exposed to the current slump in the automotive industry....

Most experienced investors understand the idea that “A rising stock market climbs a wall of worry”, because they’ve seen it happen many times. Worrisome news items and developments come along in an irregular pattern. Many are serious enough to raise worries about how they will impact the stock market....

Here are short answers to a couple of issues you may have wondered about lately.

This economic statistic deserves a closer look.

We look at lots of economic statistics, but rarely find any worth talking about. Most stats represent random fluctuations in economic data, without revealing any meaningful shift in economic trends.

However, last Friday’s release of U.S....

Alcon began trading as a new spinoff last spring. At current prices, the stock is not inexpensive in relation to this year’s earnings. But we think trends now underway—including the company’s strong position in its key markets—have set its sales, profit and share price on a strong growth path.

Our Successful Investor research department has drawn up this Inner Circle Spotlight report on Alcon to explain why we think the stock will keep paying off for you as an investment, and why now is a good time to buy....

Pfizer’s reorganization paves your way to blockbuster-drug gains

Drug stocks hold special appeal for investors: Many assume that as the baby-boom generation moves into retirement, demand for pharmaceuticals will skyrocket. That’s undoubtedly true.

However, as we’ve often pointed out, this high potential can lead investors to underestimate the risks in drug stocks....

PFIZER INC., $39, (www.pfizer.com) is a buy. Investors in the company will now benefit from the spinoff of its Upjohn business—the firm’s off-patent and generic drug unit. Those operations will then merge with Netherlands-based Mylan N.V....

PFIZER INC., $37.05, is a buy. Investors in the company (New York symbol PFE; Manufacturing & Industry sector; Shares outstanding: 5.5 billion; Market cap: $203.8 billion; Dividend yield: 3.8%; TSI Takeover Rating: Lowest; www.pfizer.com) will now benefit from the spinoff of its Upjohn business—the firm’s off-patent and generic drug unit....