Pharma Stock Roundup: PFE, LLY, NVO, LLY and AZN's Q4 Earnings Update

This week was loaded with earnings releases of many large drugmakers. Novo Nordisk NVO, Merck MRK, Pfizer PFE, Eli Lilly LLY, AstraZeneca AZN and AbbVie announced their fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 results. Most of these companies beat estimates for both earnings and sales.Here's a recap of the week’s most important stories.LLY Beats Q4 Earnings & Sales, Gives 2025 EPS GuidanceLilly beat fourth-quarter estimates for earnings as well as sales. Sales of Lilly’s incretin medicines, Mounjaro, Trulicity and Zepbound, missed estimates, while that of non-incretin drugs like Jardiance, Taltz and Verzenio beat expectations. Lilly’s non-incretin revenues grew 20% year over year in the fourth quarter. Lilly’s 2025 outlook was also upbeat.Revenues of $13.53 billion rose 45% year over year and came in line with the preliminary figure issued by Lilly in mid-January. Higher volumes of drugs like Mounjaro, Zepbound, Verzenio, Jardiance and Taltz were partially offset by lower sales of Trulicity. Lilly’s new products also contributed to sales growth.Last month, Lilly provided its sales outlook for 2025, which it maintained along with the fourth-quarter results. In 2025, Lilly expects to record revenues in the range of $58.0 billion to $61.0 billion, indicating year-over-year growth of 32%. Earnings per share are expected to be in the range of $22.50 to $24.00.NVO Beats Estimates for Earnings and SalesNovo Nordisk beat estimates for both earnings and sales. Revenues rose 30% at a constant exchange rate (CER), driven mainly by its GLP-1 products. Its GLP-1 sales increased 12% at CER. Total Diabetes care rose 17% and Obesity care sales increased 91% at CER. Sales of the diabetes drug Ozempic rose 12%, while obesity injection Wegovy rose 107% at CER. Rare disease segment sales rose 25%.In 2025, Novo Nordisk expects sales to rise 16-24% at CER while operating profit growth is expected to increase 19-27% at CER.Pfizer’s Non-Covid Drugs Drive Q4 Sales GrowthPfizer’s fourth-quarter results were strong, beating estimates for earnings and sales. Adjusted earnings per share of 63 cents were much higher than 10 cents in the year-ago quarter. Revenues came in at $17.76 billion, up 22% from the year-ago quarter.Higher sales of Pfizer’s key non-COVID products like Vyndaqel and Eliquis and newly acquired products from Seagen, coupled with higher Paxlovid sales, drove the top line in the quarter. However, sales of some key drugs like Prevnar, Xeljanz and Ibrance and new RSV vaccine, Abrysvo, declined in the quarter.Revenues from Pfizer’s non-COVID products rose 11% operationally in the fourth quarter and 12% in 2024. The company reaffirmed its financial guidance for 2025. Pfizer expects total revenues between $61.0 billion and $64.0 billion. Adjusted earnings per share are expected in the range of $2.80 to $3.00.Pfizer announced progression-free survival or PFS and overall survival or OS results from the phase III BREAKWATER study evaluating Braftovi in combination with cetuximab and mFOLFOX6 in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer with a BRAF V600E mutation. The data showed that the BRAFTOVI combination regimen led to a statistically significant and clinically meaningful improvement in PFS – one of the dual primary endpoints – and OS– a key secondary endpoint – in this patient group.The BRAFTOVI combination regimen was approved by the FDA on an accelerated basis for treatment-naïve patients with BRAFV600E -mutant mCRC in December 2024 based on confirmed objective response rate data from the BREAKWATER study. The latest data will be presented to the FDA to support the conversion of the accelerated approval to full approval.Merck Beats Q4 Estimates But 2025 Outlook Fails to ImpressMerck beat estimates for both earnings and sales. Adjusted earnings were $1.72 per share compared with 3 cents in the year-ago quarter. Revenues rose 7% year over year to $15.62 billion. Sales of Merck’s blockbuster cancer drug, Keytruda, rose 21% ex Fx, driven by rapid uptake across earlier-stage indications and continued strong momentum in metastatic indications. Sales of HPV vaccine — Gardasil and Gardasil 9 — fell 18% due to lower demand in China. Sales of diabetes medicines, Januvia/Janumet, declined 36% year over year.Merck issued fresh guidance for 2025. Revenues are expected in the range of $64.1 billion-$65.6 billion, which fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $68.05 billion. Adjusted EPS is expected in the range of $8.88 and $9.03, which also fell short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $9.18 per share.Skyrizi & Rinvoq Drive ABBV’s Sales Growth in Q4AbbVie announced strong fourth-quarter results, beating estimates for both earnings and sales. While earnings of $2.16 per share declined around 22% year over year, sales rose 6.1% on an operational basis, mainly driven by robust sales of its immunology medicines, Skyrizi and Rinvoq. While sales of Skyrizi rose 57.9% on an operational basis, Rinvoq sales were up 47.1%. AbbVie’s other key drugs, Venclexta and Vraylar, coupled with significant contributions from newer drugs Ubrelvy, Elahere and Qulipta, also pushed top-line growth.AbbVie issued fresh guidance for 2025. It expects adjusted EPS to be in the range of $12.12-$12.32. Total revenues are expected to be approximately $59 billion, reflecting operational growth of 5.7% despite a roughly 4% negative impact from the Medicare Part D benefit redesign.AZN Reports Mixed Q4 ResultsAstraZeneca’s fourth-quarter results were mixed, as it missed estimates for earnings but beat the same for sales. Core earnings of $2.09 per share rose 49%year over year at CER, while revenues rose 25%. Revenues increased across all segments, with sales of most of the key drugs, including Tagrisso, Fasenra, Farxiga, Lynparza and Symbicort, beating estimates. AstraZeneca expects total revenues to grow a high single-digit percentage at CER. Core EPS is expected to increase by a low double-digit percentage.The company said that the impact of the ongoing investigations in China remains minor on the business. In December, AstraZeneca appointed Iskra Reic as its new international executive vice president, replacing Leon Wang, who has been detained by the authorities of China. Authorities in China are investigating some current and former AstraZeneca employees for medical insurance fraud, illegal drug importation and personal information breaches.The Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use of the European Medicines Agency gave a positive opinion recommending approval of Imfinzi for treating limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC), an aggressive form of lung cancer, in the EU. The approval was based on data from the ADRIATIC phase III study for LS-SCLC patients. Imfinzi was approved by the FDA for a similar use in LS-SCLC in November last year.PFE, LLY, NVO and AZN have a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) each. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.The NYSE ARCA Pharmaceutical Index rose 1.6% in the past five trading sessions.Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % Return Large Cap Pharmaceuticals Industry 5YR % ReturnHere’s how the eight major stocks performed in the previous five trading sessions.Image Source: Zacks Investment ResearchIn the last five trading sessions, AbbVie rose the most (9.9%), while Merck declined the most (11%).In the past six months, Lilly rose the most (3.0%), while Novo Nordisk declined the most (32%).(See the last pharma stock roundup here: SNY and RHHBY’s Q4 Earnings & More)What's Next in the Pharma World?Watch this space for regular pipeline and regulatory updates next week.Free Today: Profiting from The Future’s Brightest Energy SourceThe demand for electricity is growing exponentially. At the same time, we’re working to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels like oil and natural gas. 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(MRK): Free Stock Analysis Report Eli Lilly and Company (LLY): Free Stock Analysis ReportTo read this article on Zacks.com click here.Zacks Investment ResearchWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Zacks