The Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche ended 2020 with a Net income equal to 15 billion, up 7% compared to 2019. "The result - underlines the company in a note - improves despite a negative exchange effect and a drop in sales in the pharmaceutical sector".
They drop by 5% i revenues, which stand at 58,3 billion, but the results of the diagnostic sector are growing. The group announced that the dividend on 2020 earnings will increase to 9,1 Swiss francs. The company recalls that if the shareholders' meeting approves the dividend increase to 9,1 francs, it will be the 34th consecutive increase of the coupon for the Swiss group.
In the note on the results, Roche emphasizes the rapid increase in production capacity for testing for Covid-19 and for virus-related medicines. An increase possible thanks to a commitment of over 800 million francs to further expand the capabilities of the supply chain.
About stime for 2021, Roche forecasts single-digit sales growth, at constant exchange rates. Earnings per share should continue to grow in line with sales, at constant exchange rates. The group estimates a further increase in the dividend next year.
As for our country, the Italian pharmaceutical division of Roche closed 2020 with a total turnover of 790 million euros. “A result – explains a press release – achieved at the end of a complex year characterized by competition from biosimilars, which involved three of the company's leading products, and by the evolution of the pandemic which, with its unpredictability, impacted on average the entire portfolio, also slowing down the growth of four highly innovative products that have recently entered the market”. These are the drugs Tecentriq and Alecensa, to combat some forms of lung cancer, Ocrevus which marked the important return of Roche in the neuroscience area with the first drug indicated in primary progressive multiple sclerosis, and Hemlibra dedicated to the community of hemophilia which was enriched by a new therapeutic indication approved last March. on the Zurich Stock Exchange, the title Roche gains 0,6% to 316,2 francs.
