Neogen Corp (NEOG)

TMFPlatoish (97.52) Submitted: 9/20/2008 2:37:54 PM : Start Price: $12.97 NEOG Score: +158.99

Neogen is a well managed company that flys just under the radar of most Wall Street analysts. The analysts tend to follow IDEXX Labs as a proxy for this sector. I like Neogen here for its smaller size and flexibility. The company carries no debt and has healthy insider ownership. It also produces consistent results quarter to quarter and rarely disappoints.

Neogen has two separate, but related businesses. The first has to do with food safety testing for both humans and animals. This is obviously an area that has constant demand. The demand will accelerate as globalization makes it more difficult to follow food-borne disease. I wouldn't be surprised if the next administration beefs up the regulatory oversight responsibilities of the FDA and gets more serious about food safety, given recent panics over salmonella and such.

The second business involves the development and manufacture of a whole range of veteranary medicines and treatments. This is where Neogen unviels its biotech roots, but compounds and drugs developed for animals are approved much more easily than those for humans. I like the companies positioning, management, and balance sheet. Definitely a long term outperformer.