Express Scripts Shares Surged: What You Need to Know

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of pharmacy-benefit manager Express Scripts (Nasdaq: ESRX  ) climbed 10% on Thursday after cutting its profit forecast less than expected.

So what: The shares have taken a beating on cost concerns associated with its proposed $29 billion buyout of rival MedcoHealth Solutions (NYSE: MHS  ) , but the full-year cut -- Express Scripts now expects adjusted earnings of $2.95-$3.05 per share, versus its prior forecast of $3.15-$3.25 -- isn't nearly as bad as investors had feared. Of course, the stock is still off more than 30% since announcing the deal in late July, so Mr. Market hasn't exactly applauded the move just yet.

Now what: Express Scripts remains a pretty attractive long-term opportunity. "In spite of near-term headwinds and a challenging macroeconomic environment," said Chairman and CEO George Paz, "we remain confident we are well-positioned for continued growth." In fact, the company's fiscal forecasts through 2014 -- disclosed in a securities filing on the merger -- were also much higher than analysts had expected, offering investors even more comfort regarding the Medco buy.

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