We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies, revised Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.
You are being directed to ZacksTrade, a division of LBMZ Securities and licensed broker-dealer. ZacksTrade and Zacks.com are separate companies. The web link between the two companies is not a solicitation or offer to invest in a particular security or type of security. ZacksTrade does not endorse or adopt any particular investment strategy, any analyst opinion/rating/report or any approach to evaluating individual securities.
If you wish to go to ZacksTrade, click OK. If you do not, click Cancel.
Can Novartis (NVS) Spring a Surprise This Earnings Season?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG (NVS - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2017 results on Jul 18.
A look at Novartis’ share price movement year to date shows that the stock has outperformed the Zacks classified Large Cap Pharma industry. Its shares have rallied 13.3% compared with the industry’s gain of 11.3%.
In the last reported quarter, Novartis delivered a positive earnings surprise of 2.7%. The company has posted an average positive earnings surprise of 3.28% in the trailing four quarters. Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.
Factors to Impact the Quarter
Novartis operates under three segments: Innovative Medicines (Pharmaceuticals), Alcon and Sandoz (Generics).
New products like Cosentyx and Entresto should boost the top line. Cosentyx has been strong and the company has grabbed market shares from rivals like AbbVie’s (ABBV - Free Report) Humira and Amgen’s (AMGN - Free Report) Enbrel. Cosentyx achieved the blockbuster status in 2016 and recorded over $1 billion of sales.
Novartis has broadened its oncology portfolio through acquisitions. FDA’s recent approval of Kisqali, for use in combination with an aromatase inhibitor for the first-line treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer will further boost the company's oncology portfolio. Meanwhile, the FDA has also recently approved a label expansion of Zykadia as the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
Additionally, Novartis’ generic arm, Sandoz, is making efforts to strengthen its biosimilars portfolio. The company plans to launch four biosimilars of major oncology and immunology biologics across key geographies by 2020. The company is, however, facing significant pricing pressures in the U.S. due to a delay in the launch of Glatopa 40mg. This is expected to impact the second-quarter results.
Also, exclusivity of some of the key drugs in Novartis’ portfolio is hurting the company’s top line. The company’s blockbuster drug, Diovan, is facing stiff generic competition in the U.S., the EU and Japan. Gleevec lost exclusivity in the U.S. in Feb 2016 and in the EU in Dec 2016, thereby leading to generic competition. Exforge is also facing generic competition in the U.S. and the EU. Furthermore, the oncology drugs are facing new competition in the form of immuno-oncology therapies.
The negative impact of generic competition is expected to impact sales by $2.5 billion in 2017.
The company’s ophthalmologic division, Alcon, continues to face challenges due to lower surgical equipments sales. Stiff competition faced by intraocular lens and a slowdown in demand for equipment purchases continue to act as dampeners. We do not expect any improving trends in the division’s sales in the to-be-reported quarter.
Earnings Whispers
Our proven model does not conclusively show that Novartis will beat on earnings this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to be able to beat estimates. Unfortunately, that is not the case here, as you will see below.
Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP for Novartis is 0.00%. This is because both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at $1.16. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. Although the rank is favorable, the company’s 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.
Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell rated) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.
Here is one stock in the healthcare sector that you may want to consider, as our model shows that it has the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >>
Zacks' 7 Best Strong Buy Stocks (New Research Report)
Valued at $99, click below to receive our just-released report predicting the 7 stocks that will soar highest in the coming month.
Image: Bigstock
Can Novartis (NVS) Spring a Surprise This Earnings Season?
Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis AG (NVS - Free Report) is scheduled to report second-quarter 2017 results on Jul 18.
A look at Novartis’ share price movement year to date shows that the stock has outperformed the Zacks classified Large Cap Pharma industry. Its shares have rallied 13.3% compared with the industry’s gain of 11.3%.
In the last reported quarter, Novartis delivered a positive earnings surprise of 2.7%. The company has posted an average positive earnings surprise of 3.28% in the trailing four quarters. Let’s see how things are shaping up for this announcement.
Factors to Impact the Quarter
Novartis operates under three segments: Innovative Medicines (Pharmaceuticals), Alcon and Sandoz (Generics).
New products like Cosentyx and Entresto should boost the top line. Cosentyx has been strong and the company has grabbed market shares from rivals like AbbVie’s (ABBV - Free Report) Humira and Amgen’s (AMGN - Free Report) Enbrel. Cosentyx achieved the blockbuster status in 2016 and recorded over $1 billion of sales.
Novartis has broadened its oncology portfolio through acquisitions. FDA’s recent approval of Kisqali, for use in combination with an aromatase inhibitor for the first-line treatment of postmenopausal women with hormone receptor positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 negative (HR+/HER2-) advanced or metastatic breast cancer will further boost the company's oncology portfolio. Meanwhile, the FDA has also recently approved a label expansion of Zykadia as the first-line treatment of patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer.
Additionally, Novartis’ generic arm, Sandoz, is making efforts to strengthen its biosimilars portfolio. The company plans to launch four biosimilars of major oncology and immunology biologics across key geographies by 2020. The company is, however, facing significant pricing pressures in the U.S. due to a delay in the launch of Glatopa 40mg. This is expected to impact the second-quarter results.
Also, exclusivity of some of the key drugs in Novartis’ portfolio is hurting the company’s top line. The company’s blockbuster drug, Diovan, is facing stiff generic competition in the U.S., the EU and Japan. Gleevec lost exclusivity in the U.S. in Feb 2016 and in the EU in Dec 2016, thereby leading to generic competition. Exforge is also facing generic competition in the U.S. and the EU. Furthermore, the oncology drugs are facing new competition in the form of immuno-oncology therapies.
The negative impact of generic competition is expected to impact sales by $2.5 billion in 2017.
The company’s ophthalmologic division, Alcon, continues to face challenges due to lower surgical equipments sales. Stiff competition faced by intraocular lens and a slowdown in demand for equipment purchases continue to act as dampeners. We do not expect any improving trends in the division’s sales in the to-be-reported quarter.
Earnings Whispers
Our proven model does not conclusively show that Novartis will beat on earnings this quarter. That is because a stock needs to have both a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) to be able to beat estimates. Unfortunately, that is not the case here, as you will see below.
Zacks ESP: The Earnings ESP for Novartis is 0.00%. This is because both the Most Accurate estimate and the Zacks Consensus Estimate are pegged at $1.16. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Zacks Rank: Novartis currently carries a Zacks Rank #3. Although the rank is favorable, the company’s 0.00% ESP makes surprise prediction difficult.
Note that we caution against stocks with a Zacks Rank #4 or 5 (Sell rated) going into the earnings announcement, especially when the company is seeing negative estimate revisions.
Novartis AG Price and EPS Surprise
Novartis AG Price and EPS Surprise | Novartis AG Quote
Stock to Consider
Here is one stock in the healthcare sector that you may want to consider, as our model shows that it has the right combination of elements to post an earnings beat this quarter.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX - Free Report) has an Earnings ESP of +16.7% and a Zacks Rank #1. The company is scheduled to release results on Jul 26. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
More Stock News: This Is Bigger than the iPhone!
It could become the mother of all technological revolutions. Apple sold a mere 1 billion iPhones in 10 years but a new breakthrough is expected to generate more than 27 billion devices in just 3 years, creating a $1.7 trillion market.
Zacks has just released a Special Report that spotlights this fast-emerging phenomenon and 6 tickers for taking advantage of it. If you don't buy now, you may kick yourself in 2020. Click here for the 6 trades >>