Before the market opens on Tuesday, American pharmaceutical company Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) is set to deliver its earnings report for the quarter that ended in December. Despite the recent decline in pharmaceutical stocks over the past couple of quarters, most analysts are optimistic on the earnings of the company with the stock expected to rise following the earnings report. Aside from solid earnings, the company is also expected to make an updated on their plans this year.
During the third quarter, the market saw a steady growth from the company following a jump in the sales of a number of its products including the Prevnar pneumonia vaccine and Ibrance breast cancer treatment. Pfizer posted earnings of 67 cents per share on a revenue of $13.17 billion which is 1% higher. Net income of the company came in at 47 cents per share to $2.84 billion.
Sales of the company from its Ibrance treatment jumped by nearly 60% during the previous quarter to sales of $878 million. However, this missed most market expectations of the company posting $914 million in sales. The company then faced competition from due to the approval of the Kisqali drug from competitor company Novartis.
During the third quarter, Pfizer was also able to sell more than $1.5 billion worth of the Prevnar drug pushing the shares of the company to trade above $35 per share. The boost in the earnings of the company was largely led by the sales of the Prevnar drug.
Pfizer stock has gained 11.5% last year and is expected to grow this year despite the slightly weaker operational sales growth.
For the fourth quarter, the company is expected to post growth in the sales in the number of its drugs and products especially. Pfizer is also expected to make an update regarding its psoriatic arthritis treatment Xeljanz which was approved by the FDA last December. Sales of the company from Chantix and the Lyrica nerve-pain drug is also expected to pick up for the quarter.
The company currently has a full-year earnings expectations of $2.57 per share on a revenue of $53 billion for the year 2017. Pfizer is included in the number of companies expected to benefit from the U.S. tax overhaul. Pfizer is also expected to make an update on a number of pending programs and drugs.