Back to top

Image: Bigstock

Cerner & Christiana Care Unite to Offer Bariatric Services

Read MoreHide Full Article

Cerner Corporation recently announced a tie-up with Christiana Care Health System to provide bariatric services to Cerner’s health plan members. Notably, it is a safe weight loss surgery program with personalized support that will help members through each stage of the process.

Following the announcement, shares of Cerner inched up 0.1% to $53.88 at close.

More on the Program

Available since Jan 1, the weight loss surgery program is expected to deliver improving health outcomes for patients after bariatric surgery. It also curates a comprehensive and personalized education for members to promote long-term engagement.

For investors’ notice, Delaware-based Christiana Care focuses on improving health outcomes and makes high-quality care more accessible with its extensive network of outpatient services, home health care and medical aid units.

Obesity on a Rise in US

Centers for Disease Control suggests that an average American is very close to being obese. In fact, going by a recent report in CNBC, there are more than 97 million people with obesity in the United States, which is set to increase nearly 3% annually on average. Thus, demand for bariatric services is expected to rise in the times ahead.

An article in SNN News predicts the global bariatric surgery market to see a CAGR of 5.2% between 2019 and 2023.

Hence, the latest development has been a well-timed one for Cerner.

Another key player in the space is Weight Watchers International (WTW - Free Report) whose weight loss and wellness programs deserve a mention in this regard. The company offers both digital and personal coaching to customers.

Price Performance

We believe such positive developments will boost Cerner’s shares, which have slipped 26.1% compared with the industry’s 15.4% decline. The current level is also lower than the S&P 500 index’s 6.7% decline.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

Cerner currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Some better-ranked stocks in the broader medical space are Veeva Systems Inc. (VEEV - Free Report) and OPKO Health, Inc. (OPK - Free Report) .

Veeva Systems’ long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 19.5%. The stock currently flaunts a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

OPKO Health’s long-term earnings growth rate is projected at 12%. The stock presently sports a Zacks Rank of 1.

Today's Stocks from Zacks' Hottest Strategies

It's hard to believe, even for us at Zacks. But while the market gained +21.9% in 2017, our top stock-picking screens have returned +115.0%, +109.3%, +104.9%, +98.6%, and +67.1%.

And this outperformance has not just been a recent phenomenon. Over the years it has been remarkably consistent. From 2000 - 2017, the composite yearly average gain for these strategies has beaten the market more than 19X over. Maybe even more remarkable is the fact that we're willing to share their latest stocks with you without cost or obligation.

See Them Free>>


See More Zacks Research for These Tickers


Normally $25 each - click below to receive one report FREE:


Willis Towers Watson Public Limited Company (WTW) - free report >>

OPKO Health, Inc. (OPK) - free report >>

Veeva Systems Inc. (VEEV) - free report >>

Published in