Damien Conover, CFA

More From Damien Conover

Healthcare: We See Value in the Drug and Biotech Industries

Overblown concerns over drug pricing in the U.S. are creating attractive valuations for the more innovative drug companies.

Damien Conover, CFA Oct 5, 2016

Drug Pricing Power Transcends Politics

Although some proposals could trim growth prospects, they shouldn’t have a major impact on more innovative drugs.

Damien Conover, CFA Sep 9, 2016

Clinton Drug Plan No Threat to Innovators

If the plan were to take shape, less innovative generic drugs and older branded drugs would be the likely targets for price controls.

Damien Conover, CFA Sep 2, 2016

Pfizer Expands Cancer Platform With High-Priced Medivation Acquisition

Despite the high price paid, we don't expect any major changes in Pfizer's fair value estimate.

Damien Conover, CFA Aug 22, 2016

Merck Could Gain from Bristol's Poor Drug Trial Results

Bristol's poor trial results with key drug Opdivo open the door for Merck’s Keytruda to gain share.

Damien Conover, CFA Aug 5, 2016

Lilly's Growth Prospects Are Improving

We think the market underappreciates the depth of the firm’s pipeline and potential to increase margins.

Damien Conover, CFA Aug 1, 2016

Drug Group Lifts J&J; Shares Still Overvalued

We plan to raise our fair value for the pharma giant after second-quarter results, but valuation remains rich.

Damien Conover, CFA Jul 19, 2016

Healthcare: Stock Selection Increasingly Important

Despite healthcare valuations increasing, we still see some stocks as undervalued, with opportunities in the drug and device areas.

Damien Conover, CFA Jun 30, 2016

Recent Drug Launches Buoy Bayer's Growth

We continue to think the shares are undervalued.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 27, 2016

Steady Growth at J&J Reinforces Wide Moat, But Shares Overpriced

An anticipated slowdown in pharma giant’s drug business gives us some pause on the firm’s current valuation, but its long-term competitive advantages are intact.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 19, 2016

Allergan Still Undervalued as Likelihood of Pfizer Deal Fades

New rules from the U.S. Treasury may put a damper on the Pfizer merger, but Allergan remains an attractively priced wide-moat company nonetheless.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 5, 2016

Healthcare: Drug Reform Worries Are Overblown

Concern over unlikely U.S. drug pricing reforms has led to favorable valuations in healthcare.

Damien Conover, CFA Mar 29, 2016

Pfizer's Pipeline Productivity Is Improving

The pharma giant is mitigating its patent losses, and we think it's undervalued.

Damien Conover, CFA Feb 5, 2016

Pfizer Looks Undervalued

We think the market is underestimating the pharma giant’s long-term earnings potential.

Damien Conover, CFA Feb 2, 2016

Steady Growth Supports J&J’s Wide Moat

Headwinds from the firm’s drug business shouldn't derail strong returns over the long run, says Morningstar’s Damien Conover.

Damien Conover, CFA Jan 26, 2016

Healthcare: Even After Uptick, Some Great Values Remain

While valuations in healthcare stocks have improved, we still see opportunities in these undervalued companies.

Damien Conover, CFA Dec 30, 2015

Allergan Buy Strengthens Undervalued Pfizer's Moat

The pharma megadeal strategically strengthens Pfizer with a lower tax rate and an increased growth profile, writes Morningstar’s Damien Conover.

Damien Conover, CFA Nov 23, 2015

Pfizer's Fair Value Gets a Booster

We're increasing our fair value estimate on the pharma giant after a strong third-quarter update, says Morningstar's Damien Conover.

Damien Conover, CFA Oct 27, 2015

The wide-moat pharma firm’s third-quarter results were slightly ahead of our expectations, and we think the market continues to underappreciate the value of the company’s pipeline, writes Morningstar’s Damien Conover.

Damien Conover, CFA Oct 27, 2015

Lilly's Moat Still Intact After Halting Heart Drug Study

Given the stock's major pullback on the discontinuation announcement, we now see Lilly as fairly valued.

Damien Conover, CFA Oct 12, 2015

Health Care: Recent Pullback Opens Door to More Compelling Valuations

We see several stocks with attractive valuations across the different health-care industries.

Damien Conover, CFA Sep 30, 2015

Merck's New Drugs Offset Patent Losses

The worst of the patent cliff is past, and we expect strong returns on invested capital over the long term.

Damien Conover, CFA Sep 25, 2015

J&J’s Drug Pipeline Not Strong Enough to Accelerate Growth

Increasing commotion over its branded drugs and a device segment that seems to lack innovation will hold back J&J’s revenue growth in the coming years.

Damien Conover, CFA Jul 14, 2015

Health Care: A Few Stocks Still Offer Upside

Despite the sector looking slightly overvalued, we still see stocks with attractive valuations across the different industries.

Damien Conover, CFA Jul 1, 2015

This Pharma Firm Passes the Test

Positive trial data for diabetes drug Januvia and strong first-quarter results keep Merck's stock undervalued and its wide moat intact.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 29, 2015

Market Undervalues Merck’s Pipeline

New products will secure the drug firm’s wide moat and help increase the firm’s valuation over time, writes Morningstar’s Damien Conover.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 28, 2015

Caution: Slowing Growth Ahead for J&J

Strong drug sales helped wide-moat J&J report a steady quarter, but increasing competitive threats to leading drugs and a relatively weak late-stage pipeline will be headwinds in the future.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 14, 2015

Health Care: 3 Picks in a More Expensive Sector

Despite the sector looking slightly overvalued overall, we still see stocks that offer attractive valuations across the different industries.

Damien Conover, CFA Apr 1, 2015

Pfizer's Acquisition of Hospira Strengthens Its Moat at a Fair Price

Despite the high 39% premium to Hospira's stock price, we believe the acquisition price is justified based on Pfizer's ability to unlock more value with its global reach.

Damien Conover, CFA Feb 5, 2015

Pfizer May Go Shopping for Growth

Despite an improving pipeline and slowing patent losses, a lackluster growth outlook will likely drive Pfizer to acquire assets in the near term.

Damien Conover, CFA Jan 27, 2015

More About Damien Conover

Damien Conover, CFA, is director of equity research, North America, for Morningstar*.

Before joining Morningstar in 2007, Conover was an equity research analyst covering the healthcare sector for Raymond James, Bank of Montreal, and Tucker Anthony.

Conover holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance from the University of Wisconsin and was a member of its Applied Security Analysis Program. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

* Morningstar Research Services LLC (“Morningstar”) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morningstar, Inc