Topic: How To Invest

What is Pat’s commentary for the week of February 26, 2019

Article Excerpt

Animal health, a long-time essential service to the economy, has become a growth industry in the past decade or two. Pets (now often referred to as “companion animals”) have turned into family members in many households, especially those with just one or two members. Owners are willing to spend far more on their pets’ diet, comfort and health than ever before. Businesses are rushing to fulfill and profit from this new demand. At the same time, rising global living standards continue to boost demand for protein-rich meat diets. That in turn has fuelled the livestock business, expanding its health-care needs. Many medical discoveries apply to both human and animal drug development. However, animal medications are largely free of complex U.S. human-health regulations and insurance-company restrictions. Clinical trials to win approval for new veterinary drugs are also far less costly and onerous than trials on humans. So animal-health advances can contribute to better care for people, and vice versa. Our Spinoffs, Takeovers and Special…