Thoratec Downgraded to Neutral - Analyst Blog
January 15 2013 - 11:00AM
Zacks
On Jan 14, we downgraded Thoratec Corp. (THOR),
a leader in mechanical circulatory assistance devices, to Neutral
based on growing competition and a more challenging outlook. The
company’s third quarter 2012 revenues and earnings per share beat
the Zacks Consensus Estimates.
While past results have often been good, Thoratec faces growing
competition from HeartWare International (HTWR).
Thoratec’s monopoly in the U.S. market, in the case of the
bridge-to-transplant (BTT) indication, has come to an end following
FDA approval, in November 2012, for HeartWare’s Ventricular Assist
System as a BTT for patients with end-stage heart failure.
HeartWare has already received CE Mark approval in Europe.
Expected market share losses to HeartWare for the BTT indication
will result in a slower growth profile for Thoratec. The growth
rate in the Destination Therapy (DT) market where the company faces
no near-term competition will therefore determine its prospects in
the medium term. Overall, the market may be broad enough to
accommodate several players, assuming clinical comparability.
Lack of pipeline visibility and relative lack of milestones
represents a concern. Thoratec’s third-generation pump (HeartMate
III) is still in the early stages of development. Its
next-generation device may not be commercially available in the
U.S. for the next couple of years.
The small size of the company may restrict its ability to raise
resources. The absence of strategic alliances may hinder its
ability to develop new products. The unified product line of the
company and its lack of product diversification are related areas
of concern.
While we are non-committal on Thoratec at this time, other
medical device stocks worth a look are Cantel Medical
Corp. (CMN) and Merit Medical Systems,
Inc. (MMSI). Both are Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy)
stocks.
CANTEL MED CORP (CMN): Free Stock Analysis Report
HEARTWARE INTL (HTWR): Free Stock Analysis Report
MERIT MEDICAL (MMSI): Free Stock Analysis Report
THORATEC CORP (THOR): Free Stock Analysis Report
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