With the news cycle focused 24/7 on Ebola and the second American case confirmed, shares of stock in protective gear companies are leaping up. Shares of Lakeland Industries were up 15% before the bell and Alpha Pro Tech, another maker of protection gear, was up 17%. Alpha Pro Tech, which makes face masks and other gear, has a slightly more consumer-facing business and would benefit even more from panic surrounding Ebola’s potential spread. Lakeland Industries, maker of hazmat suits, is a more industrial play.
Shares of both companies have risen more than 175% in the last month on the news of the Ebola outbreak in Africa. The latest surge is pegged to the first confirmed case to be contracted in America–the Dallas healthcare worker–and another healthcare worker in Madrid who has been diagnosed with Ebola. Interestingly, it can be assumed both these victims were wearing protective gear like masks when they were infected.
