Total earnings for 95.3% of the total healthcare market capitalization are up 7.6% on revenue growth of 4.6%. Though earnings growth appears solid compared with many other sectors, earnings and revenue beat ratios of 72.5% and 58.8%, respectively, look disappointing.
Among the most notable players, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ – Free Report) was the first major drug company to report earnings on Oct 17, followed by Eli Lilly and Company (LLY – Free Report) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY – Free Report) on Oct 24 and Oct 26, respectively. Two other major U.S. drug companies, Merck (MRK – Free Report) and Pfizer (PFE – Free Report) , reported on Oct 27 and Oct 31, respectively. These industry primes posted solid results with either earnings or revenue beats or both.
Johnson and Johnson Earnings in Focus
The world’s biggest maker of healthcare products continued its long streak of earnings beat. Earnings per share came in at $1.90, 10 cents ahead of the Zacks Consensus Estimate and 13.1% higher than the year-ago quarter. Revenues grew 10.3% year over year to $19.65 billion and edged past the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $19.28 billion. Johnson & Johnson raised its full-year earnings per share guidance to $7.25-$7.30 from $7.12-$7.22 and revenue guidance to $76.1-$76.5 billion from $75.8-$76.1 billion.
Pfizer Earnings in Focus
The U.S. drug giant came up with an earnings beat and in-line revenues. Earnings per share of 67 cents came in a couple of cents above the Zacks Consensus Estimate while revenues of $13.7 billion were in line with the estimate of $13.17 billion. On a year-over-year basis, earnings per share and revenues rose 10% and 1%, respectively. For 2017, Pfizer narrowed the revenue guidance range to $52.4-$53.1 billion from $52-$54 billion while raised the earnings per share guidance range to $2.58-$2.62 from $2.54-$2.60.
Merck Earnings in Focus
Merck beat the earnings estimate while missed on revenues. Earnings per share came in at $1.11, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.03 and improving 3.7% from the year-ago quarter. Revenues declined 2% year over year to $10.33 billion and were below the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $10.51 billion. Merck raised its revenue guidance to $40-$40.5 billion from $39.4-$40.4 billion and earnings per share guidance to $3.91-$3.97 from $3.76-$3.88 for this year.
