Intuitive Surgical, Alexion, Agenus and Amgen

Busy week, lots of companies I follow reported earnings and had their analyst conferences.

I was able to write only one new article for Seeking Alpha:

Intuitive Surgical Returns to Growth, Sort of

ISRG is getting its footing back, but I wonder if it can ever get back to being a high-growth biotechnology company. It is no longer building on a small base, and its sales seem to be constrained by the capital equipment budgets of national health systems and U.S. private hospital chains. It could benefit if the European economy finally picks up. Lots of cash at Intuitive, maybe it is time to pay a dividend?

Alexion Pharmaceuticals (see Alexion Q1 2015 analyst call notes) still might seem overpriced to the traditional investor, but I can see the future pipeline, and it is river of profits.

Agenus is one of the new kids on the block. This year it should see first revenues from one or two vaccines it has a component in. It has a bunch of partnerships with larger pharmaceutical companies. It is a stock for investors who are patient: the big money may be three to five years away. But with a market capitalization of roughly a half billion, and the five year market cap likely to be more like 10 billion (if more things go right than wrong), who can complain about waiting 5 years for their money to 20X? See Agenus Q1 2015 analyst call notes

Finally we have Amgen, the Old Boy of the biotechnology crowd, but recently renewed by focusing on the future pipeline. Safe, pays a dividend, and has strong growth potential, if you are a beginner Amgen Should be the Cornerstone of your Biotechnology portfolio. See also my Amgen Q1 2015 notes

Hope your week was as good as mine!

Keep diversified!