Health Care

Pharmaceutical companies have been announcing deals at breakneck speeds this year in what analysts say is an attempt to hedge risk and hike profits.

Amgen's first-quarter profit dropped 25% amid lower-than-expected sales for the biopharmaceutical firm.

Novartis said it will swap assets with GlaxoSmithKline and sell its animal health arm in a bid to simplify its business.

Johnson & Johnson's first-quarter profit surged 35%, as sales growth in its pharmaceutical business helped the healthcare giant beat Wall Street expectations.

Rite Aid disclosed a 55% tumble in fourth-quarter earnings, but the drug retailer’s adjusted profits easily exceeded expectations and management issued upbeat guidance.

Baxter unveiled plans to split itself into two separate companies, creating an independent biopharmaceuticals firm and a company focused on medical products.

Walgreen's earnings fell slightly in the second quarter, as lower sales of generic drugs weighed on margins.

Actavis said it will acquire Forest Laboratories in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $25 billion, creating a specialty pharmaceuticals heavyweight. 

Smith & Nephew inked a deal on Monday to buy medical device maker ArthroCare for $1.7 billion as it bets on sports medicine.

The drugmaker's quarterly revenue fell far less than expected as plunging sales of its depression treatment were offset by higher sales of other drugs.

Bristol-Myers Squibb reported a 21% drop in its fourth-quarter profit, a year after the drug company logged a significant tax benefit.

Quest Diagnostics agreed to pay a private equity firm $570 million for Solstas Lab Partners Group, as the testing provider continues to expand its laboratory offerings.

Johnson & Johnson posted profits of $1.24 per share on revenues of $18.4 billion, beating on both lines in the fourth quarter. 

UnitedHealth, the nation's largest health insurer, said its fourth-quarter profit rose 15% amid higher enrollments and strong results from its health services business.

Aetna raised its revenue view for 2014 by $1 billion, as Medicare membership gains topped the health insurance provider’s expectations.

McKesson didn’t receive the required shareholder support in its attempt to purchase German drug and pharmacy giant Celesio, less than a week after boosting its offer.

Facing an imminent deadline to complete the deal, McKesson agreed to increase its $8.3 billion buyout offer of German drug distributor Celesio.

Pharmaceutical company Forest Labs inked a $2.9 billion all-cash deal to acquire privately held drug maker Aptalis.

The drugmaker said its commitments to preserving British science jobs if it wins a $106 billion battle to take over AstraZeneca were legally binding.

Today’s stock suggestion is biopharmaceutical company Medivation.