Healthcare Stocks in Trading Spotlight Before Earnings

InterMune, Inc. (NASDAQ:ITMN) will unveil its latest earnings on Thursday, February 9, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for a loss of 71 cents per share, a wider loss from the year earlier quarter net loss of 39 cents. During the past three months, the average estimate has moved up from a loss of 72 cents. Between one and three months ago, the average estimate moved down. It has risen from a loss of 73 cents during the last month.

Last quarter, the company came in at net loss of 63 cents per share against a mean estimate of a loss of 73 cents per share, beating estimates after missing them in the previous quarter. In the second quarter, it missed forecasts by 7 cents. On average, analysts predict $7.9 million in revenue this quarter, a decline of 96.7% from the year ago quarter. Analysts are forecasting total revenue of $25.7 million for the year, a decline of 90.1% from last year’s revenue of $259.3 million.

Competitors to Watch: Gilead Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:GILD), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:VRTX), Idenix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDIX), Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN), Amarillo Biosciences, Inc. (AMAR), Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE:MRK), Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE), Pharmasset, Inc. (NASDAQ:VRUS), Roche Holding Ltd. (RHHBY), and Anadys Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:ANDS).

Repligen Corporation (NASDAQ:RGEN) will unveil its latest earnings on Thursday, February 9, 2012. The average estimate of analysts is for a loss of 4 cents per share, a swing from net income of one cent in the year earlier 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.

The company topped forecasts last quarter after being in line with estimates the quarter prior. In the second quarter, it reported profit of 2 cents per share versus a mean estimate of 2 cents. Two quarters ago, it reported 0 cents per share. Analysts are projecting a decline of 1% in revenue from the year-earlier quarter to $7 million.

Competitors to Watch: Life Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:LIFE), Bristol Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY), Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:NBIX), EntreMed, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENMD), Amgen, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMGN), Neuralstem, Inc. (AMEX:CUR), General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:NVAX), and Sangamo Biosciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:SGMO).