Better-than-expected Q4 results for J&J
Hannah Blake
pharmaphorum
Johnson & Johnson has announced better-than-expected sales results for the fourth quarter of 2012. The company reported an increase of 8% to US $17.6 billion, as compared to the same period in 2011. Domestic sales increased by 6.8%, while international sales also increased, but by slightly better at 8.9%.
For the full-year 2012, sales revenue came to US $67.2 billion – an increase of 3.4% compared to 2011. This revenue also included the impact of the recently completed acquisition of Synthes, Inc, which contributed 3% to worldwide operational sales growth.
Primary contributors to operational sales growth were remicade (infliximab), a biologic approved for the treatment of a number of immune-mediated, inflammatory diseases, multiple myeloma treatment velcade (bortezomib), HIV treatment prezista, and a number of recently launched products, including prostate cancer drug Zytiga (abiraterone acetate).
However, due to overseas price controls and increased pressure on payments from insurers and the government, J&J is looking to strategies used by other pharma companies to stay on top. One of the options J&J is considering is selling its US $2 billion-a-year diagnostics business, Ortho Clinical Diagnostics, which makes everything from tests to determine blood type to laboratory equipment.
Related news:
J&J pledges growth for consumer business (Financial Times)
J&J profit tops forecast, mulls sale of diagnostic unit (Reuters)
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