Bristol-Myers Squibb Reports fourth quarter and full year 2013 financial results

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE:BMY) has reported results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2013. The fourth quarter was highlighted by the company’s announcement to sell its diabetes business as part of the continued evolution of its successful BioPharma strategy to a specialty care model.

The company achieved important regulatory milestones in the quarter for Eliquis in the U.S., daclatasvir/asunaprevir in Japan, daclatasvir in Europe and Farxiga in the U.S. In addition, the company provided financial guidance for 2014.

“In the fourth quarter we continued to grow and evolve our business, delivering solid financial results and achieving regulatory milestones for products that are important to our long-term success,” said Lamberto Andreotti, chief executive officer, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We are looking forward to 2014 as an important year to advance our specialty care BioPharma model and deliver on key opportunities in immuno-oncology and hepatitis C that will position us well for long-term growth.”

Fourth quarter financial results

Bristol-Myers Squibb posted fourth quarter 2013 revenues of $4.4 billion, an increase of 6% compared to the same period a year ago.

U.S. revenues increased 1% to $2.3 billion in the quarter compared to the same period a year ago. International revenues increased 11% to $2.2 billion.

Gross margin as a percentage of revenues was 71.3% in the quarter compared to 74.3% in the same period a year ago.

Marketing, selling and administrative expenses decreased 7% to $1.1 billion in the quarter.

Advertising and product promotion spending increased 20% to $254 million in the quarter.

Research and development expenses decreased 12% to $957 million in the quarter.

The effective tax rate on earnings before income taxes was 15.4% in the quarter, compared to a tax benefit rate of 80.1% in the fourth quarter last year attributed to a capital loss deduction in the quarter.

The company reported net earnings attributable to Bristol-Myers Squibb of $726 million, or $0.44 per share, in the quarter compared to $925 million, or $0.56 per share, a year ago.

The company reported non-GAAP net earnings attributable to Bristol-Myers Squibb of $842 million, or $0.51 per share, in the fourth quarter, compared to $777 million, or $0.47 per share, for the same period in 2012. An overview of specified items is discussed under the “Use of Non-GAAP Financial Information” section.

Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities were $8.3 billion, with a net debt position of $68 million, as of December 31, 2013.

In December, the company announced plans to sell its global diabetes business that was part of its collaboration with AstraZeneca, enabling its continued evolution to a specialty care BioPharma company. Under terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will make an upfront payment of $2.7 billion to Bristol-Myers Squibb, with potential regulatory- and sales-based milestone payments of up to $1.4 billion and will make royalty payments based on net sales through 2025. Of the $1.4 billion milestone payments, the company has already earned a $0.6 billion milestone payment with the recent approval of Farxiga in the U.S. that will be paid shortly after the closing of the transaction. In addition, AstraZeneca will make payments of up to $225 million if and when certain assets are subsequently transferred. The transaction is expected to be accretive to non-GAAP EPS in the near-term and likely dilutive to non-GAAP EPS toward the latter part of the decade. The company anticipates that the transaction will close in the first quarter of 2014.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover, develop and deliver innovative medicines that help patients prevail over serious diseases.