McKesson Has Special Pluses

Article Excerpt

McKesson Corp. has overcome the accounting and anti-trust concerns that weighed on it early in the decade. Now the company can look forward to years of gains from several special pluses. As a drug distributor, it stands to gain from the aging of the baby boomers and the inevitable expansion in their drug needs. In addition, McKesson makes more money on generic versions of drugs than on the patented variety. Patents on a broad range of widely used drugs are set to expire in the next few years, and the switch to generics should expand its profit margins. To top it off, McKesson has a small but growing business in software and services that help health facilities manage drug inventories, patient records and other data. As a leader in its field, it has a huge competitive advantage. The work is too crucial and mistakes potentially too costly (in patient security and legal risk) for clients to choose another provider, even if McKesson…