Before the opening bell on Thursday, drug company AbbVie (ABBV) announced that it has agreed to acquire Pharmacyclics (PCYC). Here’s what this deal means for mutual fund investors.
Inside the Deal
AbbVie will acquire Pharmacyclics, a biotechnology company that specializes in cancer drugs for about $21 billion. This deal, which is expected to close in the middle of 2015, will be composed of 58% cash, and 42% of ABBV’s common stock. In the deal, ABBV will acquire Pharmacyclics for $261.25 per share.
This is the first deal that the company has made since its terminated deal to acquire Ireland-based Shire.
Shares of ABBV dropped 2.5% on the news, while PCYC sales surged over 10%.
AbbVie’s Drug Pipeline
AbbVie, which spun off from Abbott (ABT) in 2012, currently has over 40 drugs in its pipeline. This deal will give ABBV exposure to the blood-cancer market and allow it to add even more drugs to its product line.
Despite the opportunity, shares of ABBV are down today, as many analysts see PCYC’s Imbruvica drug as unable to meet ambitious sales estimates.
Mutual Funds to Watch
Investors interested in ABBV may consider a mutual fund as an alternative to owning the individual stock. The funds below currently hold the largest stakes in ABBV.
| Symbol | Mutual Fund | Stake |
|---|---|---|
| VTSMX | Vanguard Total Stock Mkt Idx | 1.64% |
| VFINX | Vanguard 500 Index | 1.10% |
| FCNTX | Fidelity® Contrafund® | 0.64% |
The Bottom Line
The funds listed above allow investors to gain exposure to ABBV while remaining diversified. Investors interested in ABBV may also be interested in Abbott (ABT) or Pfizer (PFE).
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