Top 10 Pharma Giants Release H1 Financial Reports: Who Reigns Supreme in Revenue?

　　【Pharmaceutical Network - Industry Dynamics] To date, ten major multinational pharmaceutical companies, including Novartis, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Roche, GSK, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS), Johnson & Johnson, Sanofi, AbbVie, and Bayer, have released their financial reports for the first half of 2019. According to these reports, only BMS and AstraZeneca achieved double-digit revenue growth among the ten companies.
 

　　Roche Revenue: CHF 30.5 billion (approximately USD 30.746 billion)
 

In the first half of the year, Roche achieved revenue of CHF 30.5 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6%. Among them, the diagnostic business generated revenue of CHF 6.358 billion, representing a 2% growth compared to the same period last year. Next was the molecular diagnostics business, with total revenue in the first half of 2019 reaching CHF 1.029 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6%. In terms of tissue diagnostics, the total revenue amounted to CHF 526 million, reflecting a year-on-year decline of 3%; the decrease was attributed to delays in instrument shipments, which led to a 3% drop in sales.
 

　　Pfizer Revenue: $26.382 billion
 

In the second quarter of 2019, Pfizer reported revenue of $13.3 billion. Overall, this represented a 2% year-on-year increase, with revenue growth primarily driven by its biopharmaceutical segment. Notably, Pfizer’s biopharmaceutical segment achieved a 6% growth rate. Furthermore, in the first half of 2019, Pfizer returned $12.9 billion to shareholders, including $4 billion in dividends and $8.9 billion in share repurchases.
 

　　Novartis Revenue: $22.87 billion
 

In the first half of 2019, Novartis achieved revenues of $22.87 billion. The primary driver of growth was Novartis’s heart failure treatment Entresto, whose sales rose to $421 million, an increase of 81%. The drug was approved by the U.S. FDA in July 2015 and by the European Union in November 2015. Additionally, Novartis’s oncology portfolio saw a 9% growth.
 

　　Johnson & Johnson Revenue: $20.773 billion
 

Johnson & Johnson’s second-quarter net profit reached $5.61 billion, a 42% increase from $3.95 billion in the same period last year; earnings per share (EPS) amounted to $2.08, compared to $1.45 in the same period last year. Excluding amortization of certain intangible assets and other special items, Johnson & Johnson’s adjusted EPS for the second quarter was $2.58.
 

　　Sanofi Revenue: $18.955 billion
 

The announcement showed that Sanofi’s net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders in the 2019 interim report was €1.05 billion, a year-on-year decrease of 40.94%. Among this, Sanofi’s rare disease drug unit, Genzyme, achieved a relatively significant revenue growth of approximately 21.8%, primarily driven by the continuous market penetration of Dupixent.
 

　　AbbVie Revenue: $16.083 billion
 

It is reported that among the multinational pharmaceutical companies that have disclosed their 2019 semi-annual reports, AbbVie is the one whose performance has declined instead of increased. The direct reason is still the decline in Humira's sales on a global scale. In the first quarter of 2019, Humira's sales experienced its first-ever decline, with a year-on-year decrease of 5.6%.
 

　　GSK Revenue: $15.47 billion
 

On July 24, GSK announced its Q2 2019 financial results. Total revenue for the second quarter amounted to £7.8 billion, representing a 7% increase at actual exchange rates (AER) and a 5% increase at constant exchange rates (CER). Of this, pharmaceuticals revenue was $4.3 billion, vaccines revenue was $1.6 billion, and consumer healthcare revenue was £1.9 billion.
 

　　BMS Revenue: $12.193 billion
 

In the first half of 2019, Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) achieved revenues of $12.193 billion, a year-on-year increase of 12%. According to the financial report, sales of Eliquis in the second quarter reached $392 million, representing a growth rate of 24%. Opdivo’s growth rate was 12%, with sales amounting to $196 million.
 

　　AstraZeneca Revenue: $11.314 billion
 

In the first half of the year, AstraZeneca achieved a total revenue of $11.314 billion, representing a year-on-year increase of 9.49%. The announcement indicated that AstraZeneca's net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders for the interim report of the 2019 fiscal year was $670 million, a year-on-year decrease of 2.9%. Within AstraZeneca's business operations, the biopharmaceutical segment accounted for the largest proportion, with sales revenue reaching $4.629 billion, constituting 42% of the total.
 

　　Bayer Revenue: $9.774 billion
 

On July 30, Bayer released its 2019 semi-annual report. In the first half of the year, Bayer's revenue increased by 31.6% compared to the same period last year, reaching €24.5 billion; earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) rose by 16%, amounting to €5.624 billion; net profit declined by 40%, totaling €1.645 billion. The significant growth in Bayer's revenue and EBITDA was primarily attributed to the acquisition of Monsanto.