Health-care stocks have soared since the start of 2013. Shares of Dow component Merck (MRK -0.10%), which makes one of the best-selling diabetes treatments in the world, are up almost 17% year to date, despite facing headwinds from the patent expiration of top-selling drug Singulair and some pipeline setbacks. The company's blockbuster drug Januvia has managed to offset some of these losses, but the company's insomnia drug was rejected by the Food and Drug Administration recently. Stalwart Johnson & Johnson (JNJ -0.79%), on the other hand, has climbed more than 26%. Smaller pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca (AZN 0.57%) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY -0.43%) may be partners on recently approved diabetes medications, like Byetta and Bydureon, but their performances have differed greatly. AstraZeneca's shares are up only 8% while Bristol-Myers Squibb has soared 43%.
Despite each company's performance since the start of 2013, which one is positioned the best to grow in the future? Analysts Max Macaluso and David Williamson debate this topic in the following video.
