Alex Philippidis Senior News Editor Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
Which Traditional Drug Developers Generated the Most Value So Far This Year?
Big pharma has a big public perception problem among Americans, according to Gallup poll results released September 14. Of more than 1,000 Americans polled, 43% held an unfavorable view of the industry, compared with just 35% who view pharma favorably. Pharma ranks 23rd of 25 industries for which Gallup solicited opinions; the federal government finished dead last.
Investors, however, hold a more mixed view of traditional drug developers. While shares for most biotechs have zoomed, pharma giants are almost as likely to have seen their total values of all outstanding shares—their “market capitalization”—shrink as grow over the past year. Four of 10 companies appearing on GEN’s List of Top 10 Pharma Firms of 2014 (GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., and Roche) showed smaller market cap totals on this year’s edition of the List compared with last year. Another five companies, however (AbbVie, Bayer, Novartis, Pfizer, Sanofi) showed year-over-year increases in their market caps, which are computed as shares times current market price.
The remaining pharma listed last year, AstraZeneca, saw its market cap drop enough since then to miss this year’s List. Going in the opposite direction is Bristol-Myers Squibb, which missed last year’s List but grew its market cap enough since then to be listed in this year’s Top 10.
Below is a list of 10 pharmaceutical companies, ranked by market cap as of September 16 as furnished by the companies on their websites; by the exchanges on which they trade their shares; or by other publicly available sources such as any of several free stock information websites. Figures of non-U.S. companies were converted to U.S. dollars from various currencies on September 16.
#10. AbbVie
$97.99 billion
NYSE (ABBV)
#9. Bristol-Myers Squibb
$101.75 billion
NYSE (BMY)
#8. GlaxoSmithKline
$111.36 billion (£71.88 billion)
London Stock Exchange (GSK)5
#7. Bayer
$112.21 billion (€99.32 billion)
Frankfurt Stock Exchange (BAYN)4
#6. Sanofi
$134.24 billion (€118.83 billion)
Euronext Paris (SNY)3
#5. Merck & Co.
$150.83 billion
NYSE (MRK)
#4. Roche
$189.89 billion (CHF 184.00 billion)
SIX Swiss Exchange (ROG)2
#3. Pfizer
$204.57 billion
NYSE (PFE)
#2. Johnson & Johnson
$261.40 billion
NYSE (JNJ)
#1. Novartis
$261.61 billion (CHF 253.51 billion)
SIX Swiss Exchange (NOVN)1
References:
1 In the U.S., Novartis trades American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the New York Stock Exchange
2 Market cap information listed with Roche non-voting equity securities. Roche bearer shares are also listed on SIX Swiss Exchange. Roche’s American Depositary Receipt (ADR) is listed on OTCQX International Premier under the ticker RHHBY.
3 Also listed on the New York Stock Exchange in the form of ADSs (American Depositary Shares); One ordinary share represents two ADSs.
4 Bayer shares are traded in Germany on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange as well as on the Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Hannover, Stuttgart, and Munich exchanges; and in Spain on the Barcelona and Madrid exchanges. In the U.S., Bayer trades American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) through the over-the-counter market.
5 In the U.S., GSK trades American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) on the New York Stock Exchange
