Healthcare Companies Sitting On Lots Of Cash…What Will They Do With It?

In the September 8-15 edition of Time Magazine, they have a whole article about data and numbers.  One of the pages is on which companies have the most cash.  Apple is number one and the one you always hear about.  As we’ve all seen, there are lots of rumors about Apple, Google, and Amazon and what they’re doing that is health related. 

At the same time, I was intrigued to see all the health related companies on the list:

• Medtronic – $13.7B
• Abbott Labs – $8.1B
• Merck – $27.3B
• Pfizer – $48.8B
• Johnson & Johnson – $29.2B
• Abbvie – $9.9B
• Eli Lilly – $12.7B
• Amgen – $23.1B
• Bristol-Myers Squibb – $8.3B

You have several other non-healthcare companies which are doing things in healthcare that are also on the list:

• Walmart – $8.7B
• GE – $14B
• Procter & Gamble – $8.5B
• Qualcomm – $31.6B

If you look at the Rock Health recent report, you can imagine how these companies could leverage all this money to really change healthcare.  They could fund companies.  They could buy companies.  They could invest in orphan drugs.  They could create new technology standards.  They could educate consumers.  They could push technologies like the Internet of Things.