HOLX remains positive in 2021 with 8% growth
Hologic, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOLX) is a medical technology company primarily focused on improving women's health and well-being through early detection and treatment. HOLX sells medical devices for diagnostics, surgery, and medical imaging.
On August 23, Hologic announced that Anthem (NYSE:ANTM) Blue Cross Blue Shield, the second largest health plan in the United States, updated its medical policy to cover Radiofrequency Ablation, which includes the Hologic’s Acessa procedure. This procedure is for women suffering from uterine fibroids. The updated policy creates access to uterine-preserving care for Anthem’s approximately 40 million members in all 50 states and provides a safe and effective alternative for millions of women.
HOLX has outperformed earnings expectations on three of its last four earnings reports. For Q3 of 2020, Hologic beat analysts’ estimates by a margin of $0.85, reporting an EPS of $2.07. For Q4 of 2020, HOLX's EPS increased to $2.86, beating expectations by a margin of $0.69. For Q1 of 2021, Hologic posted a decrease in earnings, dropping to $2.59 per share and missed estimates by a margin of $0.03. For Q2 of 2021, HOLX reported an EPS of $1.33 and beat expectations by a margin of $0.21.
Hologic stock has increased by about 31% in price year-over-year and HOLX is trading up 39% since bottoming at a 52-week low of $56.81 last September. Additionally, shares of HOLX have grown 8% year-to-date. However, Hologic stock is down 7% since reaching a 52-week high of $85.00 in early February.
From a fundamental point of view, Hologic stock has an intriguing valuation. Hologic stock currently trades at an attractive price-earnings ratio of 10.15. However, HOLX has a forward price-earnings ratio of 17.57, signaling an expected decrease in earnings. Nonetheless, the medical tech company’s trailing 12-month net income has grown 83% compared to what was reported on the bottom-line for fiscal 2020. In addition, HOLX's trailing 12-month revenues are up 50% compared to fiscal 2020 and have increased by 85% since fiscal 2017. Overall, Hologic stock remains a solid investment as a long-term value play, despite the expected declines for the company in the short-term.