NEW YORK (Reuters) - Investors are looking for bargains among healthcare stocks, even as prospect of a Democratic "Blue Sweep" in next month’s elections threatens more volatility for a sector already trading near a historical discount to the broader market.A victory by former Vice President Joe Biden over President Donald Trump on Nov. 3 and a potential Democratic takeover of the Senate could clear the way for prescription drug price and healthcare coverage reforms, generally seen as potential negatives for companies in the sector.
Some investors are betting these factors have already been priced into healthcare shares or may not be as detrimental as feared, while the companies stand to benefit from relatively stable earnings prospects and their medical innovations.
"For high-quality companies that are trading at reasonable valuations ... there is a strong argument to be made for adding some healthcare exposure to portfolios," said James Ragan, director of wealth management research at D.A. Davidson.