Image: DADO RUVIC (X02714)
The British-Swedish pharmaceutical company benefited primarily from strong business with cancer drugs and drugs for cardiovascular, kidney and metabolic diseases, as it announced on Thursday in Cambridge.
At almost 11.5 billion British pounds (13.2 billion euros), sales were five percent above the level of the same period last year; based on constant exchange rates, this was an increase of six percent. Excluding the Covid business, the increase was 12 (or 13) percent. CEO Pascal Soriot was even more confident for the year than before and increased the sales forecast outside of the Covid area on the basis of constant exchange rates.
Adjusted earnings per share are also expected to rise more sharply in 2023 than previously planned and, in the best case, increase in the low tens of percent range at constant exchange rates. In the last quarter of the year, adjusted earnings per share rose by four percent; excluding currency effects, the increase was nine percent. AstraZeneca thus roughly met analysts’ expectations.
The bottom line is that profits fell by 16 percent to just under 1.38 billion pounds, but the group had benefited significantly from a positive tax effect in the previous year.
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