The Panic-Proof Portfolio (Stockchase Research)Medtronic IncMDTPAST TOP PICKNov 22, 2022

Medical devices, not pharma. Important area that keeps people out of expensive hospitals, improves quality of life, and reduces reliance on drugs. Great advances, which will grow over the years. You want to be in this area. He owns SYK and JNJ in the space.

Medical technology demand growing.
Surgery demand growing after the end of Covid-19.
Current share price a good buying opportunity.
Large exposure to Asia market.
Aging population also a good factor. 

Ugly chart. Street opinion is a blend of Buy and Hold at these levels. She waits to see a trend reversal before getting in. Fundamentally, 9/10. Diverse portfolio, likes the positioning. Healthcare is great before a recession, but better names out there. Ride it out until you can break even.

It reports next week. A great value name. Medtronic has been focusing on organic growth. 

It is a great company which is well diversified. It had problems with some heart devices that didn't work out well. He prefers Stryker  which is in the field of joint replacement, is well managed, less risky and a better value.

He has owned it for 20 years. It beat in the last quarter and pays a good dividend. However there are names that are a little better such as J&J and Danaher.

A medical tech powerhouse, up 15% this year. The FDA approved their diabetes-management device, which triggered upgrades. Shares have struggled in past years, but is showing life. It reports Thursday, which he will watch. It could turnaround.

After a rough 18 months it is now a turn-around story. It is in the growth area of global medical devices. The headwinds have been supply chain issues, Covid, and inflation. It missed earnings in all four quarters last year. It has a growing dividend of 3 1/2 %.  
Buy 13   Hold 16   Sell 2

They specialize in surgical robots and tools, implants and patient monitoring systems. Are partnering with Nvidia to build an AI platform for medical devices, like the recently approved first AI-enabled colonoscopy tool that could detected cancer. This gives MDT new hope, new life.

Covid turned everything on its head. Surgeries have been put off. Revenues, cashflow, and earnings have gone flat. We need the catalyst of more procedures and loosening of the hospital system, he doesn't know when this will happen. A fine company, but it's hard to predict when reality might change.