11 research stocks to watch

The best research stocks depend on your portfolio and investment goals—while volatility can be ideal for day traders, long-term investors will want to look to stocks with steadier gains over time.

11 popular research stocks to watch

We round up a selection of stocks in or related to the medical industry, weighting the list more heavily towards popular mid- and large-cap stocks.

1. Biocept (BIOC)
2. Opko Health (OPK)
3. Natera (NTRA)
4. Danaher Corporation (DHR)
5. IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX)
6. Co-Diagnostics (CODX)
7. DexCom (DXCM)
8. Laboratory Corporation of America (LH)
9. Agilent Technologies (A)
10. Illumina (ILMN)
11. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO)

Compare investment accounts that help you research stocks

The research stocks industry is affected by a range of complex factors such as trade policies, regulations, and fluctuating supply and demand. So when considering research stocks to buy, it's important that you have access to vital information about a company's financial health, leadership team, and market positioning.

Our picks for platforms with research tools

How to invest in research stocks

1. Choose an online stock trading platform. Choose from our Top Picks above, use our comparison table below or jump straight to the best stock trading apps in Canada.
2. Sign up for an account. Provide your personal information and sign up.
3. Set up a funding method to pay for the transaction. Deposit funds into your account by linking your banking information.
4. Choose the stocks you want to buy. Search for the stock by name or ticker symbol like BIOC or OPK.
5. Place your order. Buy the stock. It's that simple.

Learn more about popular research stocks

We round up a selection of stocks in or related to the medical industry, weighting the list more heavily towards popular mid- and large-cap US stocks.

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1. Biocept (BIOC)

Biocept, Inc. , a molecular oncology diagnostics company, develops and commercializes proprietary clinical diagnostic laboratory assays designed to identify rare tumor cells and cell-free tumor DNA from blood and cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF in the United States. Its cancer assays provide information to healthcare providers to identify oncogenic alterations that qualify a subset of cancer patients for targeted therapy at diagnosis, progression, and monitoring to identify resistance mechanisms.

• Previous close price: $0.03
• Market capitalization: $1,142,060
• 1 year performance: -76.73%

Buy BIOC stock on Interactive Brokers

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2. Opko Health (OPK)

OPKO Health, Inc. , a healthcare company, engages in the diagnostics and pharmaceuticals businesses in the United States, Ireland, Chile, Spain, Israel, Mexico, and internationally. The company's Diagnostics segment operates BioReference Laboratories that offers laboratory testing services for the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, and treatment of diseases, including esoteric testing, molecular diagnostics, anatomical pathology, genetics, women's health, and correctional healthcare to physician offices, clinics, hospitals, employers, and governmental units; and 4Kscore prostate cancer test.

• Previous close price: $1.22
• Market capitalization: $871,240,000
• 1 year performance: -13.70%

Buy OPK stock on Interactive Brokers

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3. Natera (NTRA)

Natera, Inc. , a diagnostics company, develops and commercializes molecular testing services worldwide. Its products include Panorama, a non-invasive prenatal test that screens for chromosomal abnormalities of a fetus, as well as in twin pregnancies; Horizon carrier screening test for individuals and couples determine if they are carriers of genetic variations that cause certain genetic conditions; Vistara single-gene NIPT screens for 25 single-gene disorders that cause severe skeletal, cardiac, and neurological conditions; Spectrum, preimplantation genetic tests for couples undergoing IVF; Anora that analyzes miscarriage tissue from women; Empower, a hereditary cancer screening test; and non-invasive prenatal paternity product, which allows a couple to establish paternity without waiting for the child to be born.

• Previous close price: $91.28
• Market capitalization: $10,658,704,384
• 1 year performance: N/A

Buy NTRA stock on Interactive Brokers

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4. Danaher Corporation (DHR)

Danaher Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets professional, medical, industrial, and commercial products and services worldwide. The Biotechnology segments offers bioprocess technologies, consumables, and services that advance, accelerate, and integrate the development and manufacture of therapeutics; cell line and cell culture media development services; cell culture media, process liquids and buffers for manufacturing, chromatography resins, filtration technologies, aseptic fill finish; single-use hardware and consumables and services, such as the design and installation of full manufacturing suites; lab filtration, separation, and purification; lab-scale protein purification and analytical tools; reagents, membranes, and services; and healthcare filtration solutions. The Life Sciences segment provides mass spectrometers; flow cytometry, genomics, lab automation, centrifugation, liquid handling automation instruments, antibodies and reagents, and particle counting and characterization; microscopes; protein consumables; industrial filtration products; and genomic medicines, such as custom nucleic acid products, plasmid DNA, RNA, and proteins under the ABCAM, ALDEVRON, BECKMAN COULTER, IDT, LEICA MICROSYSTEMS, MOLECULAR DEVICES, PALL, PHENOMENEX and SCIEX brands.

• Previous close price: $245.80
• Market capitalization: $182,638,592,000
• 1 year performance: -0.71%
• P/E ratio: 45.244

Buy DHR stock on Interactive Brokers

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5. IDEXX Laboratories (IDXX)

IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. develops, manufactures, and distributes products primarily for the companion animal veterinary, livestock and poultry, dairy, and water testing markets in Africa, the Asia Pacific, Canada, Europe, Latin America, and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Companion Animal Group; Water Quality Products; and Livestock, Poultry and Dairy.

• Previous close price: $489.24
• Market capitalization: $41,468,907,520
• 1 year performance: 1.77%
• P/E ratio: 49.7311

Buy IDXX stock on Interactive Brokers

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6. Co-Diagnostics (CODX)

Co-Diagnostics, Inc. , a molecular diagnostics company, develops, manufactures, and sells reagents used for diagnostic tests that function through the detection and/or analysis of nucleic acid molecules in the United States and internationally. The company offers Co-Dx PCR platform, a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing to patients in point-of-care and at-home setting.

• Previous close price: $1.14
• Market capitalization: $35,323,460
• 1 year performance: -26.49%

Buy CODX stock on Interactive Brokers

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7. DexCom (DXCM)

DexCom, Inc. , a medical device company, focuses on the design, development, and commercialization of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems in the United States and internationally. The company provides its systems for use by people with diabetes, as well as for use by healthcare providers.

• Previous close price: $138.01
• Market capitalization: $54,600,101,888
• 1 year performance: 1.76%
• P/E ratio: 102.8881

Buy DXCM stock on Interactive Brokers

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8. Laboratory Corporation of America (LH)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as a life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. It operates in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics (Dx) and Biopharma Laboratory Services (BLS). The company offers various tests, such as blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, PAP tests, hemoglobin A1C and vitamin D, prostate-specific antigens, tests for sexually transmitted diseases, hepatitis C tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests.

• Previous close price: $198.35
• Market capitalization: $17,334,982,656
• 1 year performance: -14.31%
• P/E ratio: 47.5889

Buy LH stock on Interactive Brokers

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9. Agilent Technologies (A)

Agilent Technologies, Inc. provides application focused solutions to the life sciences, diagnostics, and applied chemical markets worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Life Sciences and Applied Markets, Diagnostics and Genomics, and Agilent CrossLab.

• Previous close price: $136.37
• Market capitalization: $40,793,284,608
• 1 year performance: 1.63%
• P/E ratio: 32.8923

Buy A stock on Interactive Brokers

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10. Illumina (ILMN)

Illumina, Inc. offers sequencing- and array-based solutions for genetic and genomic analysis in the United States, Singapore, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through Core Illumina and GRAIL segments.

• Previous close price: $121.05
• Market capitalization: $19,809,839,104
• 1 year performance: N/A

Buy ILMN stock on Interactive Brokers

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11. Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO)

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. provides life sciences solutions, analytical instruments, specialty diagnostics, and laboratory products and biopharma services in the North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company's Life Sciences Solutions segment offers reagents, instruments, and consumables for biological and medical research, discovery, and production of drugs and vaccines, as well as diagnosis of infections and diseases; and solutions include biosciences, genetic sciences, and bio production to pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agricultural, clinical, healthcare, academic, and government markets.

• Previous close price: $571.73
• Market capitalization: $220,397,846,528
• 1 year performance: -2.59%
• P/E ratio: 37.3473

Buy TMO stock on Interactive Brokers

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Note: The dollar amounts in the table below are in Canadian dollars.

Bottom line

While it's possible to turn a profit investing in research stocks, keep in mind that—like any investment—research stocks are not immune to risk. These stocks are subject to fluctuating conditions both in the market and in the medical industry, so carefully vet your picks before you invest. If you're new to investing or if it's been a while since you've taken a critical look at your investment accounts, compare brokers to make sure you're getting the best trading features for your needs.

Disclaimer: This information should not be interpreted as an endorsement of futures, stocks, ETFs, options or any specific provider, service or offering. It should not be relied upon as investment advice or construed as providing recommendations of any kind. Futures, stocks, ETFs and options trading involves substantial risk of loss and therefore are not appropriate for all investors. Trading forex on leverage comes with a higher risk of losing money rapidly. Past performance is not an indication of future results. Consider your own circumstances, and obtain your own advice, before making any trades.