We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience.
This includes personalizing content and advertising.
By pressing "Accept All" or closing out of this banner, you consent to the use of all cookies and similar technologies and the sharing of information they collect with third parties.
You can reject marketing cookies by pressing "Deny Optional," but we still use essential, performance, and functional cookies.
In addition, whether you "Accept All," Deny Optional," click the X or otherwise continue to use the site, you accept our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service, revised from time to time.
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.
Will These 5 Drug Bigwigs Surpass Q3 Earnings Forecasts?
Read MoreHide Full Article
Key Takeaways
PFE's Q3 growth is expected to be fueled by robust sales of the Vyndaqel family, Padcev and Lorbrena.
AMGN's sales likely to gain from growth of key products, while AZN leans on Tagrisso, Lynparza, among others.
Viatris has a positive Earnings ESP, hinting at a potential third-quarter earnings surprise.
The third-quarter earnings season for the drug and biotech sector picked up pace last week and will be in full swing this week, with many large drugmakers like Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) , Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) , AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) , Viatris (VTRS - Free Report) and Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) , among others, due to announce results. The earnings season for the sector kicked off around mid-October when Johnson & Johnson reported solid third-quarter results, beating estimates for both earnings and sales.
Several bigwigs like AbbVie, Biogen, Merck and Bristol Myers followed suit, beating third-quarter estimates for both earnings and revenues. Many drugmakers issued encouraging preliminary outlook for 2026. Swiss pharma giant, Novartis, reported mixed third-quarter results, with earnings missing estimates and revenues beating the same.
Per the Zacks classification, the pharma/biotech industry falls under the broader Medical sector, comprising pharma/biotech and generic companies, and medical device companies.
Per the Earnings Trends report, as of Oct. 29, 35% of the companies in the Medical sector — representing 41.5% of the sector’s market capitalization — reported quarterly earnings. Out of these, 90.5% surpassed earnings estimates, while 81% beat the same for revenues. Earnings declined 9.4% year over year, while revenues rose 10.7%. Overall, third-quarter earnings of the Medical sector are expected to decrease 2.9%, while sales are projected to rise 9.1% from the year-ago quarter.
Let’s see how things have shaped up for these companies ahead of their earnings announcements.
Pfizer
Pfizer’s performance has been solid, with the company exceeding earnings expectations in each of the trailing four quarters. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 43.78%, on average. In the last reported quarter, PFE delivered an earnings surprise of 34.48%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $16.60 billion and 66 cents per share, respectively.
Per our proven model, companies with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) have a good chance of delivering an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Pfizer has an Earnings ESP of -2.74% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present.
Higher sales of products like the Vyndaqel family, Padcev and Lorbrena are likely to have driven top-line growth in the third quarter. Sales of some other key products like Prevnar, Xeljanz and Eliquis are also likely to have improved in the third quarter. The higher manufacturer discounts resulting from the Medicare Part D redesign under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are likely to have impacted U.S. revenues, particularly sales of Vyndaqel, Eliquis, Ibrance and Xtandi.
Pfizer will report its third-quarter 2025 earnings on Nov. 4, before market open.
Amgen’s performance has been strong, with earnings beating estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.75%, on average. In the last reported quarter, AMGN earnings beat expectations by 14.5%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $8.94 billion and $5.00 per share, respectively.
Amgen’s product sales in the third quarter are expected to have been driven by strong volume growth of products like Evenity, Repatha and Blincyto, among others. However, prices of most products are expected to have declined due to higher rebates to support expanded access.
Newer drugs like Imdelltra, Tavneos and Tezspire are expected to have contributed to top-line growth, driven by new patient volume growth.
Amgen will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 4, after market close.
AstraZeneca’s performance has been mixed, with earnings beating estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, meeting the same once and missing the same on the remaining occasion. The company delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 3.46%, on average. In the last reported quarter, AZN’s earnings met estimates.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $14.86 billion and $1.14 per share, respectively.
AZN has an Earnings ESP of -0.44% and a Zacks Rank #3.
While key drugs, Tagrisso, Lynparza, Imfinzi, Farxiga and Fasenra, are likely to have driven AZN’s top line in the third quarter, newer drugs like Wainua, Airsupra, Saphnelo, Datroway (partnered with Daiichi Sankyo) and Truqap are expected to have also contributed. The rare disease business improved in the second quarter from the first-quarter level, a trend likely to have continued in the third quarter.
AstraZeneca will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before market open.
Viatris’ performance has been mixed, with earnings beating estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, while missing the same on the remaining occasion. The company delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.45%, on average. In the last reported quarter, VTRS earnings beat expectations by 10.71%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $3.65 billion and 63 cents per share, respectively.
VTRS has an Earnings ESP of +0.53% and a Zacks Rank #2, indicating a likely positive earnings surprise this time around.
Growth in Developed Markets, driven by brands, has likely boosted sales from this segment and offset the decline in the generics business during the third quarter. While brand sales from Europe, led by EpiPen, Creon and Brufen, have likely maintained growth, the same from North America have possibly been under pressure due to inspections in the manufacturing facility in Indore, India, and competition for Wixela and other products.
Viatris will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before market open.
Moderna’s performance has been impressive over the past four quarters. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 37.78%. In the last reported quarter, MRNA’s earnings beat expectations by 28.76%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter top line stands at $860.1 million, while the same for the bottom line is pegged at a loss of $2.15 per share.
MRNA has an Earnings ESP of -5.27% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Moderna is likely to have generated a major portion of its revenues in the third quarter from sales of its COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax. However, sales of Spikevax have declined sharply in recent times due to lower demand following the end of the pandemic. We also expect some of its newly launched RSV vaccine, mResvia, to have contributed to sales in the third quarter.
Moderna will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before market open.
Image: Bigstock
Will These 5 Drug Bigwigs Surpass Q3 Earnings Forecasts?
Key Takeaways
The third-quarter earnings season for the drug and biotech sector picked up pace last week and will be in full swing this week, with many large drugmakers like Pfizer (PFE - Free Report) , Amgen (AMGN - Free Report) , AstraZeneca (AZN - Free Report) , Viatris (VTRS - Free Report) and Moderna (MRNA - Free Report) , among others, due to announce results. The earnings season for the sector kicked off around mid-October when Johnson & Johnson reported solid third-quarter results, beating estimates for both earnings and sales.
Several bigwigs like AbbVie, Biogen, Merck and Bristol Myers followed suit, beating third-quarter estimates for both earnings and revenues. Many drugmakers issued encouraging preliminary outlook for 2026. Swiss pharma giant, Novartis, reported mixed third-quarter results, with earnings missing estimates and revenues beating the same.
Per the Zacks classification, the pharma/biotech industry falls under the broader Medical sector, comprising pharma/biotech and generic companies, and medical device companies.
Per the Earnings Trends report, as of Oct. 29, 35% of the companies in the Medical sector — representing 41.5% of the sector’s market capitalization — reported quarterly earnings. Out of these, 90.5% surpassed earnings estimates, while 81% beat the same for revenues. Earnings declined 9.4% year over year, while revenues rose 10.7%. Overall, third-quarter earnings of the Medical sector are expected to decrease 2.9%, while sales are projected to rise 9.1% from the year-ago quarter.
Let’s see how things have shaped up for these companies ahead of their earnings announcements.
Pfizer
Pfizer’s performance has been solid, with the company exceeding earnings expectations in each of the trailing four quarters. It delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 43.78%, on average. In the last reported quarter, PFE delivered an earnings surprise of 34.48%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $16.60 billion and 66 cents per share, respectively.
Per our proven model, companies with the combination of a positive Earnings ESP and a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold) have a good chance of delivering an earnings beat. You can uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they’re reported with our Earnings ESP Filter.
Pfizer has an Earnings ESP of -2.74% and a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell) at present.
Higher sales of products like the Vyndaqel family, Padcev and Lorbrena are likely to have driven top-line growth in the third quarter. Sales of some other key products like Prevnar, Xeljanz and Eliquis are also likely to have improved in the third quarter. The higher manufacturer discounts resulting from the Medicare Part D redesign under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are likely to have impacted U.S. revenues, particularly sales of Vyndaqel, Eliquis, Ibrance and Xtandi.
Pfizer will report its third-quarter 2025 earnings on Nov. 4, before market open.
Pfizer Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Pfizer Inc. price-eps-surprise | Pfizer Inc. Quote
Amgen
Amgen’s performance has been strong, with earnings beating estimates in each of the trailing four quarters. The company delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 11.75%, on average. In the last reported quarter, AMGN earnings beat expectations by 14.5%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $8.94 billion and $5.00 per share, respectively.
AMGN has an Earnings ESP of -1.25% and a Zacks Rank #3. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.
Amgen’s product sales in the third quarter are expected to have been driven by strong volume growth of products like Evenity, Repatha and Blincyto, among others. However, prices of most products are expected to have declined due to higher rebates to support expanded access.
Newer drugs like Imdelltra, Tavneos and Tezspire are expected to have contributed to top-line growth, driven by new patient volume growth.
Amgen will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 4, after market close.
Amgen Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Amgen Inc. price-eps-surprise | Amgen Inc. Quote
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca’s performance has been mixed, with earnings beating estimates in two of the trailing four quarters, meeting the same once and missing the same on the remaining occasion. The company delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 3.46%, on average. In the last reported quarter, AZN’s earnings met estimates.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $14.86 billion and $1.14 per share, respectively.
AZN has an Earnings ESP of -0.44% and a Zacks Rank #3.
While key drugs, Tagrisso, Lynparza, Imfinzi, Farxiga and Fasenra, are likely to have driven AZN’s top line in the third quarter, newer drugs like Wainua, Airsupra, Saphnelo, Datroway (partnered with Daiichi Sankyo) and Truqap are expected to have also contributed. The rare disease business improved in the second quarter from the first-quarter level, a trend likely to have continued in the third quarter.
AstraZeneca will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before market open.
AstraZeneca PLC Price and EPS Surprise
AstraZeneca PLC price-eps-surprise | AstraZeneca PLC Quote
Viatris
Viatris’ performance has been mixed, with earnings beating estimates in three of the trailing four quarters, while missing the same on the remaining occasion. The company delivered a four-quarter earnings surprise of 4.45%, on average. In the last reported quarter, VTRS earnings beat expectations by 10.71%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter sales and earnings stands at $3.65 billion and 63 cents per share, respectively.
VTRS has an Earnings ESP of +0.53% and a Zacks Rank #2, indicating a likely positive earnings surprise this time around.
Growth in Developed Markets, driven by brands, has likely boosted sales from this segment and offset the decline in the generics business during the third quarter. While brand sales from Europe, led by EpiPen, Creon and Brufen, have likely maintained growth, the same from North America have possibly been under pressure due to inspections in the manufacturing facility in Indore, India, and competition for Wixela and other products.
Viatris will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before market open.
Viatris Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Viatris Inc. price-eps-surprise | Viatris Inc. Quote
Moderna
Moderna’s performance has been impressive over the past four quarters. Its earnings beat estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, delivering an average surprise of 37.78%. In the last reported quarter, MRNA’s earnings beat expectations by 28.76%.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for third-quarter top line stands at $860.1 million, while the same for the bottom line is pegged at a loss of $2.15 per share.
MRNA has an Earnings ESP of -5.27% and a Zacks Rank #3.
Moderna is likely to have generated a major portion of its revenues in the third quarter from sales of its COVID-19 vaccine, Spikevax. However, sales of Spikevax have declined sharply in recent times due to lower demand following the end of the pandemic. We also expect some of its newly launched RSV vaccine, mResvia, to have contributed to sales in the third quarter.
Moderna will report third-quarter 2025 results on Nov. 6, before market open.
Moderna, Inc. Price and EPS Surprise
Moderna, Inc. price-eps-surprise | Moderna, Inc. Quote