It is hard to believe, but in just over two weeks the second quarter will come to a close and many investors will be reviewing their portfolios and making changes for the second half of 2021. One thing is looking increasingly likely. At some point in the second half, the Federal Reserve will start tapering its $120 billion per month in asset purchases. That surely will trigger some angst, and we could see a market decline of 5% to 10%.
It makes sense now to move from the momentum and meme stocks to those of companies and sectors that should continue to be the bellwether plays for the rest of 2021. One sector that looks very strong is health care and health-care-related stocks. Four stocks on the Jefferies Franchise List of top picks may be outstanding ideas from growth stock investors with a degree of risk tolerance.
While all four stocks are rated Buy at Jefferies it is important to remember that no single analyst report should be used as a sole basis for any buying or selling decision.
Bio-Rad Laboratories
This is a perfect idea for investors looking to avoid clinical decision risk. Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc. (NYSE: BIO) develops, manufactures and markets life science research and clinical diagnostic products in the United States, Europe, Asia, Canada and Latin America.
The company offers products and systems to separate complex chemical and biological materials, as well as to identify, analyze and purify components. It operates in two segments.
The Life Science segment develops, manufactures and markets a range of reagents, apparatus and laboratory instruments that are used in research techniques, biopharmaceutical production processes and food-testing regimes. It focuses on selected segments of the life sciences market in proteomics, genomics, biopharmaceutical production, cell biology and food safety. This segment serves universities and medical schools, industrial research organizations, government agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, biotechnology researchers, food producers and food-testing laboratories.
The Clinical Diagnostics segment designs, manufactures, sells and supports test systems, informatics systems, test kits and specialized quality controls for clinical laboratories in the diagnostics market. This segment offers reagents, instruments and software that address specific niches within the in vitro diagnostics test market. It sells its products to reference laboratories, hospital laboratories, state newborn screening facilities, physicians’ office laboratories, transfusion laboratories and insurance and forensic testing laboratories.
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