Earnings Releases, Investment Plans, Commencement of Clinical Trials, and FDA Applications Brighten Outlook - Research Report on Bard, Centene, Exact Sciences, Ironwood, and Merrimack

NEW YORK, July 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Editor Note: For more information about this release, please scroll to bottom.

Today, Analysts' Corner announced new research reports highlighting C. R. Bard, Inc. (NYSE: BCR), Centene Corp. (NYSE: CNC), Exact Sciences Corporation (NASDAQ: EXAS), Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IRWD), and Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: MACK). Today's readers may access these reports free of charge - including full price targets, industry analysis and analyst ratings - via the links below.

C. R. Bard, Inc. Research Report

On July 23, 2013, C. R. Bard, Inc. (Bard) reported its Q2 2013 financial results with net sales up 2.3% YoY to $759.9 million on a reported basis. Net sales in the US increased 2% YoY to $497.6 million. On the other hand, outside the US, net sales were up 4% YoY to $262.3 million on a reported and constant currency basis. Net loss was $161.6 million or $2.03 per diluted share, compared to net income of $133.9 million or $1.54 per diluted share in Q2 2012. According to Bard, Q2 2013 results include charges of $292.4 million pre-tax, which relates to estimated costs for product liability matters, net of recoveries, and other litigation matters. Timothy M. Ring, Chairman and CEO, said, "We continue to focus on the execution of our investment plan, which we believe will shift the mix of our portfolio to faster growing products and geographies and contribute to long-term sustainable leadership positions in our markets." The Full Research Report on C. R. Bard, Inc. - including full detailed breakdown, analyst ratings and price targets - is available to download free of charge at: [http://www.analystscorner.com/r/full_research_report/141e_BCR]

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Centene Corp. Research Report

On July 23, 2013, Centene Corp. (Centene) reported its Q2 2013 financial results. Premium and Service revenues increased 27.8% YoY to approximately $2.6 billion. Net earnings attributable to Centene were $39.5 million or $0.70 per diluted share in Q2 2013, compared to a net loss of $35 million or $0.68 per diluted share in Q2 2012. According to Centene, diluted EPS for Q2 2013 includes transaction costs of $0.07 per diluted share associated with AcariaHealth acquisition. Michael F. Neidorff, Centene's Chairman and CEO, said, "The solid quarterly results reflect the positive momentum of our focus on operations and programs that we see continuing for the balance of this year and into 2014." For full-year 2013, the Company expects Premium and Service revenues to be in the range of $10.3 billion to $10.6 billion, and diluted EPS to be in the range of $2.65 to $2.90. The Full Research Report on Centene Corp. - including full detailed breakdown, analyst ratings and price targets - is available to download free of charge at: [http://www.analystscorner.com/r/full_research_report/e85d_CNC]

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Exact Sciences Corporation Research Report

On July 23, 2013, Exact Sciences Corporation (Exact Sciences) announced its financial results for Q2 2013. Total revenues were flat at $1.0 million compared to Q2 2012. The Company reported a net loss of $12.3 million or $0.19 per share in Q2 2013 compared to a net loss of $14.8 million or $0.26 per share in Q2 2012. Kevin T. Conroy, the Company's President and CEO, said, "With the completion of Exact's submission to the FDA for Cologuard, our colorectal cancer screening test, the company's top priorities are commercial readiness and operational excellence." The Full Research Report on Exact Sciences Corporation - including full detailed breakdown, analyst ratings and price targets - is available to download free of charge at: [http://www.analystscorner.com/r/full_research_report/9c49_EXAS]

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Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Research Report

On July 23, 2013, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Ironwood) reported its financial results for Q2 2013 and also provided an update on its recent business activities. Total revenues declined 33.8% YoY to approximately $9.7 million. According to Ironwood, revenues include $6.1 million related to sales of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), $1.7 million in the amortization of deferred revenue associated with consideration received from the Company's collaborations with Astellas and AstraZeneca, and $1.9 million in milestone payments from Almirall on account of the commercial launches of CONSTELLA in the UK and Germany. The Company reported a net loss of $65.1 million or $0.57 per share compared to a net loss of $40.8 million or $0.38 per share in Q2 2012. The Full Research Report on Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc. - including full detailed breakdown, analyst ratings and price targets - is available to download free of charge at: [http://www.analystscorner.com/r/full_research_report/dbc4_IRWD]

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Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc. Research Report

On July 22, 2013, Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Merrimack) announced the enrollment of its first patient in a Phase 2 clinical trial of its bispecific antibody, MM-111, for the treatment of advanced gastric, esophageal, and gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) cancers. According to the Company, the Phase 2 study is unique in the sense that it is testing MM-111 in two different subsets of patients overexpressing the HER2 (ErB2) cell surface receptor. The first set of patients traditionally receiving trastuzumab-based therapy due to their HER2 score of 2+ or 3+ on the Hercep Test and/or positive fluorescence in situ hybridization status (FISH+). Merrimack reported that these patients will be randomized to receive either MM-111 combined with paclitaxel and trastuzumab or paclitaxel and trastuzumab. The second set of patients will not be usually treated with HER2-targeted therapy because they have a HER2 2+ HercepTest score and have a negative FISH status (FISH-) for the HER2 gene. They will be randomized to receive either MM-111 combined with paclitaxel or paclitaxel alone. The Full Research Report on Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc. - including full detailed breakdown, analyst ratings and price targets - is available to download free of charge at: [http://www.analystscorner.com/r/full_research_report/8bb0_MACK]

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