Roche Should Head Back to the Acquisition Trail, Abbvie or Bristol-Myers Squibb Canada Should be Targeted: Analyst

Roche Holding AG grabbed several headlines earlier this year when it launched -- and ultimately withdrew -- a $6.3 billion bid for Illumina Inc., but one prominent analyst has identified two potential targets that the pharma giant should now consider. In a research note Wednesday, Sept. 26, Jefferies & Co. analyst Jeffrey Holford identified both AbbVie -- the pharmaceutical business Abbott Laboratories will spin out Jan. 1, 2013 -- and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. as two prime strategic assets for Roche to acquire.