Sam Isaly is founding principal of OrbiMed Advisors LLC, a New York- based Eaton Vance investment adviser. During the second quarter of 2016, the guru increased several stakes and the following are the ones with the highest performance since that buy.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX)
The investor increased his shares in Vertex Pharmaceuticals during the second quarter by 225.99% and now has 528,100 shares. Since then, the price of the stock has risen by 15%.
The company has a market cap of $21.45 billion and an enterprise value of $21.41 billion. It is engaged in the business of discovering, developing, manufacturing and commercializing small molecule drugs for patients with serious diseases in specialty markets.
The price of the stock has risen by 90% over the past five years, but dropped by 21% since the beginning of the year and by 29% during the last 12 months. The stock is now 32.38% below its 52-week high and 27.80% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 5 out of 10 with an ROE of -28.16%, which is underperforming and an ROA of -11.14%, which is outperforming 62% of the companies in the global biotechnology industry.
The largest shareholder among the gurus is Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) with 5.12% of outstanding shares, followed by Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.35%, Steven Cohen (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.34%, Samuel Isaly (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.21%, David Carlson (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.09%, Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.05% and John Paulson (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.02%.
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN)
The investor acquired 370,500 shares in Biomarin Pharmaceutical during the second quarter and since then, the price of the stock has risen by 17%.
The company has a market cap of $16.14 billion and an enterprise value of $16.35 billion. It develops and commercializes pharmaceuticals for serious diseases and medical conditions. Its product portfolio is comprised of five products Naglazyme, Kuvan, Aldurazyme, VIMIZIM and Firdapse.
The price of the stock has risen by 224% over the past five years, but dropped by 5% since the beginning of the year and by 32% during the last 12 months. The stock is now 32.96% below its 52-week high and 60.05% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 47 out of 10 with an ROA of -8.05% and an ROE of -5.17%, which are out performing 69% of the companies in the global biotechnology industry.
Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest shareholder among the gurus, with 7.12% of outstanding shares, followed by PRIMECAP Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 4.53%, Spiros Segalas (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.93%, John Griffin (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.62% and Andreas Halvorsen (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.37%.
UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH)
The investor bought 177,300 shares in UnitedHealth Group during the second quarter and since then, the price of the stock has risen by 11%.
The company has a market cap of $136.16 billion and an enterprise value of $156.76 billion. It designs products, provides services and applies technologies that improve access to health and well-being services, simplify the health care experience and make health care more affordable.
The price of the stock has risen by 198% over the past five years and by 23% since the beginning of the year and by 18% during the last 12 months. The stock is now 0.89% below its 52-week high and 50.74% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 7 out of 10 with an ROA of 18.03% and an ROE of 5.63%, which are outperforming 73% of the companies in the global health care plans industry.
The largest shareholder among the gurus is Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) with 2.47% of outstanding shares, followed by Dodge & Cox with 1.6%, Jeremy Grantham (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.51%, Chris Davis (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.4%, Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney and Strauss with 0.36%, Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.27% and Sarah Ketterer (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.12%.
Medivation Inc. (MDVN)
The investor acquired 292,900 shares in Medivation during the second quarter and since then, the price of the stock has risen by 28%.
The company has a market cap of $10.53 billion and an enterprise value of $10.23 billion. It is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in the development of novel small molecule drugs to treat diseases like Alzheimer's and Huntington disease.
The price of the stock has risen by 1,128% over the past five years, by 36% year-to-date and by 22% during the last 12 months. The stock is now 0.26% below its 52-week high and 142.29% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 5 out of 10 with an ROA of 37.22% and an ROE of 22.43%, which are underperforming 97% of the companies in the global biotechnology industry.
The largest shareholder among the gurus is Columbia Wanger (Trades, Portfolio) with 1.08% of outstanding shares, followed by Andreas Halvorsen (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.43%, Paul Tudor Jones (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.4%, Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.24% and Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.2%.
Edwards Lifesciences Corp. (EW)
The investor bought 175,800 shares in Edwards Lifesciences Corp during the second quarter and since then, the price of the stock has risen by 16%.
The company has a market cap of $24.25 billion and an enterprise value of $23.9 billion. It manufactures heart valves and repair products used to replace or repair a patient's diseased or defective heart valve.
The price of the stock has risen by 226% over the past five years, by 45% since the beginning of the year and by 51% during the last 12 months. The stock is now 2.50% below its 52-week high and 83.14% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 9 out of 10 with an ROE of 22.05% and an ROA of 13.58%, which are outperforming 92% of the companies in the global medical devices industry.
The largest shareholder among the gurus is Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio), with 4.8% of outstanding shares, followed by Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.81%, Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.79%, Meridian Funds (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.48%, RS Investment Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.26% and Ron Baron (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.25%.
Intuitive Surgical Inc. (ISRG)
The guru raised his stake in Intuitive Surgical by 30.95% during the second quarter and now  holds 110,000 shares. Since then, the stock has risen by 13%.
The company has a market cap of $26.78 billion and an enterprise value of $24.6 billion. It designs, manufactures and markets da Vinci Surgical Systems and related instruments and accessories.
The price of the stock has risen by 77% over the past five years, by 27% since the beginning of the year and 32% during the last 12 months. The stock is 3.37% below its 52-week high and 55.56% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 8 out of 10 with an ROE of 15.30% and an ROA of 13.55%, which are outperforming 83% of the companies in the global medical devices industry.
Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest shareholder among the gurus with 1.19% of outstanding shares, followed by Manning and Napier Advisors, Inc with 0.51%, Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.28%, Jeremy Grantham (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.2% and Pioneer Investments (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.02%.
Amgen Inc. (AMGN)
The investor increased his stake in Amgen by 32.94% during the second quarter and now  holds 402,800 shares. Since then, the price of the stock has risen by 12%.
The company has a market cap of $129.23 billion and an enterprise value of $128.8 billion. It is a biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers human therapeutics.
The price of the stock has risen by 220% over the past five years, by 9% since the beginning of the year, but dropped by 3% during the last 12 months. The stock is now 5.38% below its 52-week high and 32.24% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 9 out of 10 with an ROE of 26.11% and an ROA of 10.18%, which are outperforming 90% of the companies in the global biotechnology industry.
The largest shareholder among the gurus is PRIMECAP Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 3.88% of outstanding shares, followed by Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.7%, Daniel Loeb (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.4%, First Eagle Investment (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.16%, David Carlson (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.07% and Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.06%.
Boston Scientific Corp. (BSX)
The guru raised his stake in Boston Scientific by 12.46% during the second quarter and now  holds 3,880,000 shares. Since then, the stock has risen by 21%.
The company has a market cap of $32.94 billion and an enterprise value of $38.28 billion. It is a developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices that are used in a range of interventional medical specialties.
The price of the stock has risen by 251% over the past five years, by 35% since the beginning of the year and 40% during the last 12 months. The stock is 2.06% below its 52-week high and 71.23% above its 52-week low.
GuruFocus gives the stock a profitability and growth rating of 5 out of 10 with an ROE of -0.56%, which is underperforming and an ROA of -0.21%, which is outperforming 50% of the companies in the global medical devices industry.
Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) is the largest shareholder among the gurus, with 4.66% of outstanding shares, followed by PRIMECAP Management (Trades, Portfolio) with 3.2%, Jim Simons (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.28%, Diamond Hill Capital (Trades, Portfolio) with 1.5% and Samuel Isaly (Trades, Portfolio) with 0.29%.
Disclosure: I do not own any shares of any stocks mentioned in this article.
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