DX needed. Is there a stock broker in the house?

Wall Street is currently voting for Abbvie’s Duodopa over Medtronic’s DBS, but, there is no rush for the exit. After a flicker of fear in February, investors are voting “Steady as she goes” for Medtronic and “Full speed ahead” for AbbVie.

When investment analysts were informed in February that Medtronic was about to issue an “Urgent recall” for their Deep Brain Stimulation system; and that the FDA would declare it to be of “Class 1 urgency” (danger of death), there was a modest run on Medtronic shares, dropping from $47.12 on February 15, 2013, to $43.13 on Feb. 22. When nothing further happened, despite the FDA “Class 1” alert, this loss was slowly recovered over March and April, with Medtronic at $47.72 at the end of April.

During the same period, AbbVie shares were at $35.42 at the beginning of February, before their competitor’s product recall. By the end of April, AbbVie shares increased to $43.99, a solid performance for the three-month period.

DX:

Medtronic rates “hold”. The market sees the recall as a drag on earnings, but that the problem causing the “urgent recall” is not disastrous or widespread, and will be resolved.

AbbVie rates “strong buy”. The market sees duodopa taking market share from DBS, primarily because of Parkinson’s Patients choosing surgery to reach the intestines instead of the brain.

You may want a second opinion, from a doctor instead of a stock market analyst, but Wall Street is always better informed.