5 Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014

5 Best Retail Stocks To Buy For 2014: Express Scripts Holding Co (ESRX)

Express Scripts Holding Company, incorporated in 2011, provides healthcare management and administration services on behalf of its clients, which include health maintenance organizations (HMOs), health insurers, third-party administrators, employers, union-sponsored benefit plans, workers compensation plans, and government health programs. The Company operates in two segments: Pharmacy Benefit Management (PBM) and Emerging Markets (EM). PBM services include network claims processing, home delivery services, patient care and direct specialty and fertility home delivery to patients, benefit plan design consultation, drug utilization review, formulary management, drug data analysis services, distribution of injectable drugs to patients homes and physicians offices, bio-pharma services, and fulfillment of prescriptions to low-income patients through manufacturer-sponsored patient assistance programs. EM segment provides distribution of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to p roviders and clinics, healthcare account administration and implementation of consumer-directed healthcare solutions. In September 2013, it announced the acquisition of the SmartD Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (PDP).

On July 20, 2011, Express Scripts, Inc. (ESI) entered into a merger agreement (the Merger Agreement) with Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (Medco). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it reorganized its FreedomFP line of business from its EM segment into its PBM segment. On April 2, 2012, the Company completed the Merger Agreement, and after which ESI and Medco became the wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. The Company's customers include HMOs, health insurers, third-party administrators, employers, union-sponsored benefit plans, government health programs, office-based oncologists, renal dialysis clinics, ambulatory surgery center! s, primary care physicians, retina specialists and others.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Mani]

  Express Scripts Holding Company (NASDAQ:ESRX) could deliver relative outperformance in 2014 as the upcoming generic wave should offer a two-fold opportunity for pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).

• [By Lu Wang]

  Express Scripts Holding Co. (ESRX) declined 4.5 percent to $60.88, the lowest since May. The largest U.S. processor of prescription drug claims reduced its 2013 cash flow forecast, citing delays in some non-client integration activities.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Express Scripts (ESRX) has fallen 2.7% to $62 in after-hours trading after it reported a profit of $1.08, in line with analyst forecasts, but said the fourth quarter would come in between $109 and $1.13. Analyst had forecast $1.12.

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, pharmacy benefit manager Express Scripts (NASDAQ: ESRX  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-retail-stocks-to-buy-for-2014-2.html