TEVA Pharmaceutical is a BUY?As the excitement around AI continues to wane, concerns about a potential US recession grow, and the risks of a major conflict in the Middle East linger, Teva Pharmaceutical's stock is entering an accumulation phase above $18, signaling strong bullish sentiment.
Why Wall Street's bullish in this drug company ?
First, on July 31, Teva announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2024, demonstrating that the company remains resilient despite years of investor disappointment following the Allergan Generics acquisition and the loss of Copaxone exclusivity.
However, over the past 18 months, under Richard Francis' leadership, the company has shown significant growth, with increasing revenue and profits in its European and US segments, the successful launch of biosimilars and Uzedy, and record sales of Austedo, its blockbuster treatment for certain neurological disorders.
Alongside rising sales of generics, Teva has also accelerated the development of innovative medications, which could set new standards in treating schizophrenia and some chronic inflammatory diseases.
For instance, on July 25, the company delighted investors by announcing that it had completed patient enrollment ahead of schedule in a Phase 2b clinical trial assessing the efficacy and safety of duvakitug for treating ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, driven by strong interest from healthcare professionals and patients.
Teva Pharmaceutical's financial performance and 2024 outlook
After years of challenges, the Teva revenue exceeded $4 billion once again, reaching $4.14 billion in the second quarter of 2024, a 7.4% year-on-year increase that surpassed consensus estimates by $114 million.
Meanwhile, another critical financial metric, earnings per share aka EPS, exceeded my expectations despite rising costs associated with conducting expensive clinical trials for assessing the efficacy of Teva's biosimilars and experimental drugs targeting neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders. The Israeli company's EPS reached $0.61 for the three months ending June 30, 2024, marking a 27.1% increase from the previous quarter and surpassing analysts' forecasts by six cents.
What factors contribute to Teva Pharmaceutical's success?
To answer this objectively, it's essential to examine not only the impact of sales from individual medications but also to delve deeper into how effectively the company's management is handling the development of each of Teva's business segments.
We'll begin with the United States segment, which significantly influences Teva's financial standing. For the three months ending June 30, 2024, revenue in this segment reached $2.12 billion, reflecting an 11.5% year on year increase and a 22.3% rise from the previous quarter.
First, Teva's revenue and profit growth were largely fueled by significant advancements in its generics business, despite facing stiff competition from companies like Viatris (VTRS), Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (RDY), Perrigo (PRGO), and others in the market.
In the second quarter, total sales of generic products reached approximately $1.03 billion, marking a 26.6% increase from the previous quarter.
What factors led to the recovery of Teva's generics business?
The resurgence of Teva's generics business in the U.S. was primarily driven by the launch of an interchangeable biosimilar to AbbVie's Humira (ABBV), rising demand for generic versions of Bristol-Myers Squibb's Revlimid (BMY), a major blockbuster for treating multiple myeloma, the generic version of Novo Nordisk's Victoza (NVO) for type 2 diabetes, and the expansion of its drug portfolio.
The soaring sales of Copaxone and the strong performance of Austedo, which I analyzed in detail in a previous article, were also notable. Despite increasing competition in the U.S. tardive dyskinesia therapeutics market from Neurocrine Biosciences' (NBIX) Ingrezza, Austedo's demand continued to grow.
Sales of the Austedo franchise reached $407 million in the second quarter of 2024, a 32.1% YOY increase, driven by expanded patient access and the FDA's late May approval of Austedo XR in four new tablet strengths, giving doctors more options for optimizing treatment regimens for adults with tardive dyskinesia and Huntington's disease-associated chorea.
I also want to highlight Uzedy, a long-acting formulation of risperidone, as another key contributor to Teva's revenue growth. Although the company launched Uzedy in May 2023 and has not yet disclosed its sales figures, it has been approved for the treatment of schizophrenia.
However, as evident from the chart below, the total number of prescriptions has been steadily increasing month over month. Teva Pharmaceutical estimates that its revenue from Uzedy will be around $80 million in 2024, exceeding my expectations by approximately $25 million.
Despite ongoing growth in demand for this anti-CGRP migraine medication, its sales amounted to $42 million in the second quarter of 2024, a decrease of 6.7% compared to the previous quarter and 19.2% year-on-year. This decline was primarily due to an increase in sales allowances linked to a one-time event.
Now, let's turn our attention to the company's Europe segment, which generates most of its revenue through sales of generics and biosimilars.
For the three months ending June 30, 2024, sales in this segment reached approximately $1.21 billion, reflecting a 4.3% year-on-year increase, driven by new product launches and growing demand for Ajovy.
However, sales of respiratory medications continue to face challenges due to a decline in cold and flu cases. As anticipated, demand for Copaxone is weakening, not only because of competition from generic versions but also due to the availability of more effective treatments for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb's Zeposia, Roche Holding's Ocrevus and TG Therapeutics' Briumvi (TGTX).
Lastly, let's discuss the International Markets segment, which focuses on commercializing Teva's drugs across 35 countries, including Canada and Japan. In the second quarter, revenue for this segment was $593 million, representing a 2.6% YOY increase.
However, the segment's profit dropped significantly to $73 million quarter over quarter, due to declining demand for Copaxone, increased R&D expenses, and higher sales and marketing costs related to the distribution of Austedo in China.
The question arises: "Are there any positives?" The short answer is yes.
Teva's revenue from generic drugs has been on an upward trend in recent years, with the exception of the fourth quarter of 2023. For the three months ending June 30, 2024, it reached $488 million, marking a 2% increase from the previous quarter.
What is driving this sales growth?
Despite challenges such as the weakening of foreign currencies like the Japanese yen, ruble, and Chinese yuan against the US dollar, increased competition in Japan, and ongoing inflationary pressures on the pharmaceutical industry, Teva’s management has successfully navigated these obstacles by expanding its medication portfolio and raising prices.
Now lets talk about Risks
Several risks could negatively impact Teva Pharmaceutical’s investment appeal in the medium to long term. At the end of July, Teva reported financial results for the second quarter of 2024, which not only exceeded analysts' expectations but also reinforced confidence in the effectiveness of the business strategies implemented by CEO Richard Francis.
In addition to accelerating the recovery of the company's generics business, boosting sales of Austedo and Uzedy, and launching the Humira biosimilar in May, Teva also raised its full-year 2024 guidance.
With a P/E ratio of 6.35x, which suggests the stock is trading at a discount compared to the broader healthcare sector, other positives include the reduction of Teva’s net debt by about $2 billion over the past 12 months, as well as year-over-year growth in gross and operating profits.
To understand who truly holds control over Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, it's crucial to examine the company's ownership structure. The largest share of ownership, approximately 69%, is held by institutional investors. This means that this group stands to experience the greatest potential for gains or losses, depending on the company's performance.
The company has also accelerated the development of its product candidates under its "Pivot to Growth" program, which aims to strengthen its balance sheet and enhance its investment appeal by expanding its biosimilar portfolio and bringing potential best-in-class drugs for cancer, neurological, and autoimmune disorders to market.
So TEVA Pharmaceutical is a BUY? YUP
