Associated Press (01/23/12)

BMO Capital Markets analyst Jeffrey Silber raised his rating on AMN Healthcare shares, saying that profit growth should improve at the San Diego-based health care staffing firm. BMO released a report saying that conditions have improved for the health care staffing industry. “While it may take some time for health care staffing to return to its pre-Great Recession levels, we believe that the worst is behind the industry and that growth could continue to accelerate in 2012—one of the only staffing sectors likely to experience that,” says Silber.

AMN has reported strong revenue growth in 2011, including a 37% increase in the third quarter. The company says it had an average of 5,300 staffers on assignment per day during the quarter, an improvement of approximately 65% from a year ago. AMN expects to complete the sale of its home health care business during the first quarter of this year.