Hill-Rom (HRC) Gains On Product Launch, Prudent Buyouts

On Jun 20, we issued an updated research report on Hill-Rom Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:HRC) . The company is witnessing a solid uptick in domestic revenues, driven by a sturdy performance in Patient Support Systems and Front-Line Care. The stock carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Shares of Hill-Rom have outperformed the broader industry in the past year. The stock has rallied 19% compared with the industry's 8.5% rise.

Notably, Hill-Rom exited the first quarter of 2019 on a strong note. Core revenues increased 6%, reflecting a steady progress toward establishing a more durable and diversified business profile. This also marked the fourth consecutive quarter of driving mid-single-digit core revenue growth. Further, the company saw a solid year-over-year increase in domestic revenues on the back of a robust performance by Patient Support Systems and Front Line Care.

The contribution from new products too has been a significant catalyst for top-line growth in the first half of fiscal 2019, accounting for approximately 300 basis points of growth. This is in line with the company’s expectations of generating $400 million in new product revenue growth during fiscal 2019.

We are upbeat about the company’s strong momentum across its diversified product portfolio, which includes Centrella Smart+ bed, Welch AllynConnex Spot Monitor, Monarch Airway Clearance System and Integrated Table Motion for the da Vinci Xi Surgical System. The acquisition of Voalte buoys optimism on the stock as it boosts Hill-Rom’s digital and mobile communications platform.

However, adverse foreign exchange and a fiercely competitive landscape remain headwinds. Also, Hill-Rom’s global revenue rise was sluggish in the reported quarter.

Key Picks

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ:CERN) , Penumbra (NYSE:PEN) and Teleflex Inc., (NYSE:TFX) , each carrying a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

Cerner’s long-term earnings growth rate is expected to be 13.5%.

Penumbra’s long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 21.5%.

Teleflex’s long-term earnings growth rate is estimated at 13.7%.

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