Profits soar for insulin giant
2. februar 2012, 16:02 – opdateret 2. februar 2012, 16:14
Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk, the world's biggest insulin maker, has reported a net profit of DKK17.1 bn($3 billion) for 2011, 19 per cent up on last year's DKK14.4 bn ($2.6bn).
Year end-figures were boosted by strong Q4 sales of DKK18.12bn ($3.2bn), a 12 per cent increase, as sales of key diabetes products, Victoza, Novo Rapid, and Levemir soared, especially in China.
Novo shares rose nearly 5 percent to DKK713 on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange, Thursday morning, in response to the earnings report, providing shaeholders with a collective DKK15.4bn windfall. The company, with a market value of DKK337bn ($60bn), expects further sales growth of 7 to 11 percent this year.
