Favorite medically ethical stock picks?

[roo]

Hi, I was just wondering about what others would recommend for medically ethical stocks over the next year or so?

I am looking for ones that are ethically responsible from a medical point of view, i.e. not cigarette companies, etc and not drug companies because of conflict of interest. Everything has a bad side, cars could kill somebody, the internet could be used for terrorist communication etc. However, looking but stocks in companies that are in premise, ethical.

For example, I like Electronic Arts (ERTS). I enjoy their hockey and other sports games, especially when you have the multicontrollers, they are the biggest game publisher especially in sports, and it works well in that they just do a couple game engines then use it to pump out alot of games on those engines. There are will be all three next gen systems (xbox 360, wii, ps3) by early 2007 and they will probably sell alot of updated versions of their latest versions of their annual games (like NHL 2007) for the new systems, regardless of which platform becomes the most popular. Things are working out well so far on that one since the summertime, when picked up at its low.

I'll have some more money set aside for some stock amusement this month, just sort of like a big sports pool to see if can call the future in advance. Any recommendations?

Best wishes,
roo

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[etf]

haha, how about google? i mean, isn't their motto "do no evil?"

btw, i never understood "socially concious investing." the point of investing is to make money - it doesn't matter (to me) where it comes from, because in the end i can (and do) use the money to do good things, like donate to charity (like sdn)...

 

[whopper]

This isn't a medical stock, but the mutual fund NALFX is socially conscious. They invest in alternative energies and socially conscious companies. They have a good return rate.

 

[etf]

i see the ytd on the nalfx is around 19% - that's impressive. but not nearly as impressive as altria's (aka philip morris tobacco) annualized return of 19.75% since 1957.

 

[roo]

Well Electronic Arts was up 10% today after their earnings for the quarter were released beat the street, so things are on their way there, but I think there is some more to come since 2 of the 3 new consoles aren't even here yet.

I had also picked up some Rogers Communications (TSX:RCI.A) [NYSE:RG] last month which is the big cable/internet/wireless carrier here in Canada, fortunately before their profit triple and plans for 2:1 split this winter. Eased a little bit after the Canada law saying no benefit for new income trusts which would have helped a big profitable company like Roger's. Medically ethical, they just provide internet/cable/phone. I think it has some good growth because move toward bundling services for a competitive price, there is still a lot of penetration left for wireless, and HD/digital services will give some more growth.

Invested in Adobe (ADBE) at $33. It is must have software for the graphics/publishing industry (make Photoshop and Acrobat PDF). They took over Macromedia so now they have Flash too making for selling some good bundles, and Flash video is increasing with the success of YouTube et al. The new versions of photoshop come out at start of 2007, so buyers will hold off until then, then I predict earnings will likely return to around $40 in early 2007.

My highest risk for possble longer-term risk/benefit, I'd say was to collect IMAX (TSX:IMX) (NASDAQ:IMAX) after their shares fell off a cliff after the big class-action law firm said were launching a suit against them for inflating their bottom line with unopened theatre revenue. IMAX is the company that makes the big screen theatres. IMAX is pretty much the only light at the end of the tunnel for big media companys' long-term theatre box office prospects since it is the pretty much the only thing theatres can offer that uses can't get at comfort and convenience of their own home in an era of home DVD, video-on-demand, satellite and increasingly cheaper big flat-screen home theatre systems. Most likely the IMAX suit will either settle or otherwise blow over at some point. In the long-term, more IMAX theatres will continue to open and they will continue to either just market to all the studio's pictures or will be bought by one of the big studios. The IMAX releases have a good long box office run (since again, it never comes out on home video) [See boxofficemojo.com for a list of IMAX box office reciepts). The more IMAXs that continue to open, the more profitable it becomes since helps absorb the fixed cost of shooting/converting a movie. People are willing to pay extra vs. normal box-office to see SpiderMan/Harry Potter with 3D sequences or images that are several stories tall. It is getting easier to do an IMAX release nowadays since those animated films are already made in computer 3D, and digital filmmaking makes it easier to upconvert to the bigger IMAX film format. Anyways, that my high-risk gamble is that they will return to about $8, which I think is a fair price for their theatre stakes and their technologies.

I had invested in Mastercard (NYSE:MA) back in the summer when it was in the 50's. Probably some good growth there because of the rise in Internet commerce which for vendors is just cheaper to cough up the merchant's fee than to chase non-payers. And Mastercard is moving away from the risk of credit in the first place by increasing use of debit cards, and likely credit cards will start using a net password that isn't on the cards to lessen fraud (Visa has its "Verified By Visa"). However, it is now listed in the high 80's which I think is part emotion, so a few strong months I dumped it all lately after and I will just wait until the Visa IPO and may consider them instead.

Anwyays, thats my 2cents. Anyone else has some recommendations of individual companies that aren't tobacco/pharma/alcohol etc?

 

[etf]

Anyone else has some recommendations of individual companies that aren't tobacco/pharma/alcohol etc?

darn, there go two of my absolute favorite stocks: altria and genentech. well, i would argue that both electronic arts and mastercard are just as "socially unconcious." electronic arts makes a product that is not only addictive, but could probably be linked to the record obesity of kids in america. and mastercard gives people the tool, especially compulsive shoppers, to get into massive debt, and allows banks to charge usurious rates on this debt.

how about whole foods? their stock got knocked down quite a bit today; could be a long-term buy.

 

[logos]

To be honest, I dont see the utility in picking "socially" acceptable stocks. Especially the aversion to biotech/pharma...you're often better off to go with what you know. But to each their own...

 

[whopper]

Still haven't found a company that's well known to be "medically ethical".

I however have cound that Costco (COST) has gone out of its way to pay its employee good salaries and provide health care coverage to several of its employees, while still being able to provide prices that can compete with Walmart.

Add to that its considered one of the top retailer stocks right now, even surpassing Walmart in speculative growth.

 

[etf]

in terms of treating employees well, no one can compete with starbucks (sbux) or genentech (dna). they're pretty good stocks, too.

 

[etf]

in terms of treating employees well, no one can compete with starbucks (sbux) or genentech (dna). they're pretty good stocks, too.

 

[tridoc13]

in terms of treating employees well, no one can compete with starbucks (sbux) or genentech (dna). they're pretty good stocks, too.

SBUX is also a very green company (speaking as a former employee). They invest in Free Trade and Shade Grown coffee growers, they use a ton of recycled and recyclable products, and even recycle all of their coffee grounds for local gardners. I'll be buying some of their stock when I have a little money to invest...