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Pfizer's (PFE) Key Brands Likely to Drive Its Q4 Earnings

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Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) comprises six business units — Oncology, Inflammation & Immunology, Rare Disease, Hospital, Vaccines and Internal Medicine

Oncology sales are likely to have risen in the fourth quarter, driven by higher sales of Ibrance, Inlyta and alliance revenues from Astellas for Xtandi.

Continued CDK class market share growth in the United States is likely to have driven Ibrance’s sales. However, pricing pressure in certain European markets is likely to have hurt Ibrance’s international sales.

U.S. sales of Inlyta have been rising significantly in the past few quarters, gaining from FDA approvals in 2019 for the combination of Inlyta plus Pfizer’s Bavencio and Inlyta plus Merck’s (MRK - Free Report) Keytruda in first-line treatment of advanced renal cell carcinoma patients. The trend is expected to have continued in the fourth quarter.

In non-oncology area, sales of drugs like Xeljanz and alliance revenues from Bristol-Myers (BMY - Free Report) for Eliquis are likely to have provided top-line support.  However, lower prices, increased impact from the Medicare donut hole, and unfavorable channel mix hurt Eliquis’ sales in the third quarter. It remains to be seen if these factors had any impact on Eliquis sales in the fourth quarter.

Pfizer’s stock has declined 3.2% in the past year against 6.4% increase for the industry.

 

 

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales of Ibrance (worldwide) and alliance revenues from Eliquis is $1.39 billion and $1.25 billion, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Inlyta and Xeljanz’s sales is pegged at $221 million and $670 million, respectively.

In addition, new brands such as Vyndaqel/Vyndamax, Braftovi, Mektovi and new oncology biosimilars (Trazimera, Zirabev and Ruxience) should bring in additional sales.

Prevnar 13 sales in the United States might have been hurt by the negative impact of the revised Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendations in 2019 and some impact of COVID-19. Recovery of a portion of missed doses from the second quarter led to sequentially better sales in the third quarter.  The recovery trends might have continued in the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, increased adult uptake in international markets as people developed more vaccine awareness amid the COVID-19 pandemic might have benefited Prevenar 13 outside U.S. sales.

Meanwhile, sales of Chantix might have been impacted due to lower demand from infrequent patient visits to doctors.

Meanwhile, sales of important drug Enbrel in key European markets is likely to have declined due to continued biosimilar competition in key European markets as well as in Japan and Brazil.  Pfizer has exclusive rights to Amgen’s (AMGN - Free Report) blockbuster RA drug, Enbrel, outside the United States and Canada

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales of Enbrel and Prevnar is $331 million and $1.63 billion, respectively. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for sales of Chantix is $224 million.

Meanwhile, lower sales in China hurt sales of Pfizer’s sterile injectables in the third quarter. It remains to be seen if sales recovered in the fourth quarter.

Importantly, the fourth quarter of 2020 will the first quarterly result for the “New Pfizer”.  Pfizer’s Biopharma unit has become the “New Pfizer” following the separation of the Upjohn unit

Pfizer currently has a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

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