Topic: How To Invest

Q: Pat, what is your advice on Thermo Fisher Scientific? I read it’s involved in COVID-19 testing. Thank you.

Article Excerpt

A: Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., $304.21, symbol TMO on New York (Shares outstanding: 398.8 million; Market cap: $112.6 billion; www.thermofisher.com), is a manufacturer of scientific instruments, laboratory equipment, diagnostic consumables, and life science reagents. The company employs more than 75,000 people, is based in Waltham, Massachusetts (just outside of Boston), and has four operating segments. They are Life Sciences Solutions (28% of total revenue), Analytical Instruments (23%), Specialty Diagnostics (14%), and Laboratory Products and Services (35%). Thermo Fisher’s brands include Thermo Scientific, Applied Biosystems, Invitrogen, Fisher Scientific, Unity Lab Services and Patheon. The company stands to profit from the growth potential of its COVID-19 testing equipment and the continuing demand for life science and laboratory equipment. On March 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for Thermo Fisher’s diagnostic test used to detect nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The test uses Thermo Fisher’s Applied Biosystems 7500 Fast Dx Real-time PCR instrument, a piece of equipment…