Top Health Care Stocks

JNJ +0.89%

PZE +1.78%

MRK +1.08%

ABT -0.37%

AMGN -0.13%

Health care stocks were strongly higher, with the NYSE Health Care Sector Index posting a 1.1% jump and shares of health care companies in the S&P 500 rising 1.2% as a group.

In company news, Prestige Brands Holdings ( PBH ) climbed to a record high Thursday after the consumer health care and household cleaning products wholesaler beat analyst projections with its fiscal Q3 financial results and raised its FY15 guidance.

Net income during the three months ended Dec. 31 totaled $21.3 million, or $0.40 per share, improving on a $3.1 million profit during the same quarter last year. Excluding non-recurring items, the company earned $0.48 per share, up from $0.30 last year and exceeding the Capital IQ consensus by $0.08 per share.

Adjustments during the quarter included items related to PBH's recent acquisitions of Insight and Hydralyte.

Link:

Health Care Sector Update for 02/05/2015: PBH,IVC,IMMU