Anything with the faintest hint of US exposure was trampled – Trumpled – by the market yesterday, taking a number of attractive businesses down to bargain prices. Here are three of my favourites:
ResMed Inc. (CHESS) (ASX: RMD) is a manufacturer and developer of Obstructive Sleap Apnoea (OSA) devices that help improve sleep quality and aid in respiration. ResMed is looking to expand into parallel industries like non-invasive ventilation (NIV) in countries with high levels of smoking and poor air quality. ResMed also sells cloud-based software applications that aid in the diagnosis of a number of conditions.
With $700 million in cash and $1 billion in debt, ResMed also has a good balance sheet and its prospects for growth are reasonable. It also appears cheaper than CSL.
CSL Limited (ASX: CSL) is perhaps the ultimate biotech, renowned for its high levels of R&D spending and almost constant share buybacks. CSL carries high levels of debt but enjoys very low interest rates and huge cash flows, making for a strong balance sheet.
CSL's growth has slowed somewhat in recent times, largely due to its size, although the company's heavy investment in developing new products should bode well for future earnings. Shares are still priced for a bright future, but I feel that those with a 10-year timeframe are unlikely to be disappointed.
Sirtex Medical Limited (ASX: SRX) – a liver cancer treatment company with no debt and decent international growth prospects, Sirtex is in a very good position to endure a wide range of market conditions. With a long growth runway ahead, Sirtex should be able to deliver attractive returns to shareholders over the next 10 years, with gradual expansion of the indications (potential uses) for its SIR-Spheres treatment. Additionally, investors don't have to worry about financial stress.
As I've written before, owning (profitable) biotech stocks should be a long term venture – 10 years or more. A Trump presidency pales into insignificance next to this kind of holding period, but the value you're seeing today is real.
