3 Healthcare Stocks Set to Release Earnings Friday

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK) will unveil its latest earnings on Friday, April 27, 2012. The average analyst estimate is for net income of 97 cents per share, a rise of 5.4% from the company’s actual earnings for the year-ago quarter. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved down from $1.03. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has been unchanged at 97 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 0.8% compared to last year’s $3.80.

Last quarter, the company beat estimates by 2 cents, coming in at profit of 97 cents per share against an estimate of net income of. The company also topped expectations in the third quarter of the last fiscal year. Analysts predict a rise of 1.8% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $11.79 billion.

Covidien Ltd. (NYSE:COV) will unveil its latest earnings on Friday, April 27, 2012. The average analyst estimate is for profit of $1.03 per share, a rise of 10.8% from the company’s actual earnings for the year-ago quarter. The average estimate is the same as three months ago. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate was unchanged. It also has not changed during the last month. For the year, analysts are projecting net income of $4.29 per share, a rise of 8.1% from last year.

Last quarter, the company beat estimates by 10 cents, coming in at profit of $1.13 a share versus the estimate of net income of $1.03 a share. It marked the fourth straight quarter of beating estimates. On average, analysts predict $2.9 billion in revenue this quarter, a rise of 3.6% from the year-ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $11.83 billion for the year, a rise of 2.2% from last year’s revenue of $11.57 billion.

Coventry Health Care, Inc. (NYSE:CVH) will unveil its latest earnings on Friday, April 27, 2012. The average analyst estimate is for profit of 61 cents per share, a decline of 7.6% from the company’s actual earnings for the year-ago quarter. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved down from 66 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has been unchanged at 61 cents during the last month. Analysts are projecting profit to rise by 13.2% versus last year to $3.25.

Last quarter, the company missed estimates by 6 cents, coming in at net income of 58 cents per share versus a mean estimate of profit of 64 cents per share. In the third quarter of the last fiscal year, the company beat estimates by 3 cents. Analysts predict a rise of 14.1% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $3.48 billion.