Sigma expects H1 earnings lift of 10pc

Sigma Pharmaceuticals says it is on track to lift underlying earnings by at least 10 per cent in the first half of its 2016/17 fiscal year.

Pharmacies supplier and drug distributor

The company also said at its annual general meeting on Wednesday that its full-year guidance for the current fiscal year remains unchanged.

At the release of its full-year results for 2015/16 in March, Sigma said it was confident of delivering growth in earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) of at least five per cent per annum for the next two years.

Sigma chief executive Mark Hooper said on Wednesday that Sigma's performance in the first three months of the current fiscal year had reinforced the group's belief that investing in initiatives that were not related to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) was the right strategy.

Mr Hooper said Sigma was benefiting from the acquisitions of CHS, Discount Drug Store, Pharmasave and Chemist King.

He said the businesses were performing well ahead of expectations.

More than 300 pharmacies had been added to the Sigma network, which had helped lift sales from its wholesaling operations.

The CHS pharmaceutical wholesaling business had recently started supplying the hospital pharmacy market in NSW - the largest hospital pharmacy market in Australia.

Sigma's Amcal and Guardian pharmacy brands were also looking more consistent and delivering more consistent products and services.

Professional service programs in pharmacies, such as coeliac testing, kidney check programs, and healthcare and weight management solutions, were gaining traction.

Growth in Sigma's range of private and exclusive label products, and improvements in brand member fees, merchandise and marketing income, commission revenue and other service fees was also boosting profits.

"These all fit within our strategy of diversifying away from our reliance on PBS revenue," Mr Hooper said.

Mr Hooper said PBS volumes were growing through market share gains and organic growth.

But government reforms to the PBS were driving the price of medicines down, and as a wholesaler, Sigma was paid based on a percentage of the value of what it delivered.

Shares in Sigma were 0.25 cents higher at $1.1125 at 1202 AEST.


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: AAP



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world