#SootinClaimon.Com : ขอบคุณแหล่งข้อมูล : หนังสือพิมพ์ The Nation.

https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40014738

---

 Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday (April 19) said it could no longer provide a forecast for sales of its COVID-19 vaccine, as vaccine hesitancy in low-income countries paired with already low demand in higher-income nations has led to a glut of supply.

The company had earlier predicted as much as $3.5 billion in 2022 sales from the single-dose vaccine, once touted as an important tool for vaccinating hard-to-reach areas.

J&J also cut both ends of its full-year profit forecast by 25 cents and now expects to earn $10.15 to $10.35 per share. But it blamed the move on currency fluctuations rather than fundamental business issues and raised its dividend by 6.6%, and shares rose about 4%.

Analysts said J&J remains a safe bet within the healthcare sector and that raising the dividend provided predictable income for investors despite vaccine sales woes.

The J&J shot has been hurt by links to rare but potentially deadly blood clots, manufacturing issues and concerns about efficacy. It accounts for about 3% of all doses administered in the United States, and roughly 2% of doses in Europe.

Company executives said lack of acceptance in lower-income countries also was hurting vaccine sales. According to the World Health Organization, poorer countries have asked for insufficient doses to meet their goal of vaccinating at least 70% of their populations by the middle of the year.

The vaccine, which is sold at a not-for-profit price, brought in $457 million in the first quarter. J&J recorded vaccine sales of $2.39 billion last year.

Pfizer has forecast $32 billion in 2022 sales from its COVID vaccine developed with BioNTech SE, while Moderna has forecast $21 billion for its shot this year.

J&J said its medical devices unit should recover this year after pandemic delays in non-urgent surgeries hit sales last year, and it expects above-market growth in its large pharmaceuticals business in 2022, despite falling short of Wall Street estimates in the first quarter.

The company reported pharmaceutical sales of $12.87 billion, well shy of forecasts for $13.6 billion, due in part to low vaccine sales.

Excluding items, J&J earned $2.67 per share for the quarter, beating analysts’ expectations by 11 cents, according to Refinitiv.

Published : April 20, 2022

By : Reuters