The Los Angeles Post
U.S. World Business Lifestyle
Today: March 29, 2025
Today: March 29, 2025

A continuing decline in sales of COVID-19 products clips revenue at Pfizer

Earns Pfizer
October 31, 2023
TOM MURPHY - AP

Pfizer lost more than $2 billion in the third quarter as an expected COVID-19 product sales decline clipped revenue.

Sales of the drugmaker's COVID treatment Paxlovid and the vaccine Comirnaty slid 97% and 70%, respectively, as Pfizer, like its competitors, switched to selling on the commercial market instead of to governments.

Both the company and analysts who follow it expected revenue from those key products to tumble this year before eventually rebounding as commercial sales take hold. Two weeks ago, Pfizer Inc. warned that sales of its COVID-19 drugs were weaker than it had expected, and it cut its annual revenue expectations by $9 billion.

A continuing decline in sales of COVID-19 products clips revenue at Pfizer
COVID Treatment

Falling sales of both Paxlovid and Comirnaty also trimmed sales in the second quarter, but Pfizer said in August that it expected a rebound in the second half of 2023.

In the third quarter, the drugmaker booked a non-cash, $5.6 billion charge for inventory write-offs of the COVID products.

Outside those products, the drugmaker said its operational revenue, which excludes the impact of foreign exchange rates, grew 10%, helped in part by growth from its Prevnar pneumonia vaccines.

โ€œOur core business is performing nicely,โ€ Chief Financial Officer David Denton told analysts. โ€œWe continue to make traction.โ€

Overall, the New York company reported a loss adjusted for one-time gains or losses of 17 cents per share. That was much narrower loss than the 42 cents that Wall Street had expected, according to a survey of industry analysts by FactSet.

Total revenue fell 42% to $13.23 billion. Analysts had forecast revenue of $13.77 billion.

Pfizer expects full-year adjusted earnings of $1.45 to $1.65 per share.

Analysts expect, on average, earnings of $2.13 per share, according to FactSet.

The company has started a cost cutting program that it expects to yield at least $3.5 billion in savings by the end of 2024.

Pfizer shares slid 30 cents to $30.25 in midday trading Tuesday while broader indexes were mixed.

The stock price has tumbled about 40% so far this year while the broader Standard & Poorโ€™s 500 index has climbed more than 8%.

Pfizer's share price had topped $60 and hit an all-time high at the end of 2021, a year in which Comirnaty brought in more than $36 billion in revenue.

_____

A portion of this story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on PFE at https://www.zacks.com/ap/PFE

Related Articles

Trump picks Jay Bhattacharya, who backed COVID herd immunity, to lead National Institutes of Health Chuck Woolery, smooth-talking game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83 Trump's FDA pick is surgeon and writer Martin Makary VW labour representatives vote for strikes from early December
Share This

Popular

Business|Europe|Political|US

US warns French companies they must comply with Trump's diversity ban

US warns French companies they must comply with Trump's diversity ban
Arts|Business|Economy|Europe|Lifestyle

No longer 'poor but sexy?' Berlin's economic rise comes at a price

No longer 'poor but sexy?' Berlin's economic rise comes at a price
Business|Environment|Political|Science|Technology|US

New wave of smaller, cheaper nuclear reactors sends US states racing to attract the industry

New wave of smaller, cheaper nuclear reactors sends US states racing to attract the industry
Business|Economy|Technology|US

Musk's social media firm X bought by his AI company, valued at $33 billion

Musk's social media firm X bought by his AI company, valued at $33 billion

Economy

Crime|Economy|Health|Political|US

Oregon city at heart of high court homelessness ruling blocked from enforcing camping ban

Oregon city at heart of high court homelessness ruling blocked from enforcing camping ban
Arts|Business|Economy|Entertainment|Travel

What to know about Boulder, Colorado, the Sundance Film Festival's new home

What to know about Boulder, Colorado, the Sundance Film Festival's new home
Americas|Crime|Economy|Political|World

Noem ends her first visit to Latin America in Mexico to discuss crime and migration

Noem ends her first visit to Latin America in Mexico to discuss crime and migration
Business|Economy|Political|US

Trump says he is willing to make deals on tariffs

Trump says he is willing to make deals on tariffs

Access this article for free.

Already have an account? Sign In