See How Amgen Ranks Among Analysts' Top Picks With Strong Buyback Activity

See How Amgen Ranks Among Analysts' Top Picks With Strong Buyback Activity

By The Online Investor Staff, Wednesday, November 13, 2:52 PM ET

A study of analyst recommendations at the major brokerages shows that Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) is the #71 broker analyst pick among those stocks screened by The Online Investor for strong stock buyback activity. To make that list, a stock must have repurchased at least 5% of its outstanding shares over the trailing twelve month period. In forming the rank, the analyst opinions from the major brokerage houses were tallied, and averaged; then, the list of stocks with strong buyback activity was ranked according to those averages.

Investors are often keenly interested in knowing which companies are buying back their own stock, because companies often will only make such a move if they feel their stock is undervalued. Amgen Inc is a company with strong buyback activity that is also considered a compelling buy by analysts; a bullish investor could take this to mean that sharp analyst minds came to the same bullish conclusion as the company itself that the stock is a good value, and therefore the stock should do well in the future.

Start slideshow:

Top Analyst Picks With Strong Stock Buyback Activity»

Analysts studying companies buying back their own stock will also factor into their analysis that future earnings will now be spread over a smaller share count, thereby increasing the per-share earnings the remaining shares will enjoy, versus what that same number would have been absent the stock buyback activity.

AMGN operates in the Biotechnology sector, among companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc (TMO) which is up about 0.5% today, and Gilead Sciences Inc (GILD) trading lower by about 1.7%. Below is a three month price history chart comparing the stock performance of AMGN, versus TMO and GILD.

AMGN is currently trading off about 0.4% midday Wednesday.

Find the right mix of model portfolios today at PortfolioChannel.com