Gotrade News - Three US pharmaceutical giants delivered key business updates on Thursday (30/04). Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and Johnson & Johnson drew attention from global healthcare investors.
Key Takeaways
- Merck reported Q1 2026 revenue of $16.3 billion, up 5%, with cancer drug Keytruda contributing $8 billion.
- Bristol-Myers Squibb is scheduled to release its Q1 2026 report with analyst expectations of $10.88 billion revenue and $1.43 EPS.
- Johnson & Johnson reinforced clinical trial data for IMAAVY in treating myasthenia gravis at a US neurology meeting.
Merck Q1 2026 revenue reached $16.3 billion, rising from $15.5 billion year-over-year. The figure topped Wall Street consensus of $15.8 billion according to Investing.com.
Despite 5% sales growth, Merck posted a net loss tied to acquisition costs. A $3.62 per share charge linked to the Cidara Therapeutics purchase pushed adjusted EPS to negative $1.28 per Investing.com.
Cancer immunotherapy Keytruda became the growth engine with quarterly sales of $8 billion. The figure climbed 12% and beat analyst estimates of $7.6 billion based on Investing.com data.
Lung disease drug Winrevair surged 88% to $525 million according to Investing.com. In contrast, Gardasil vaccine sales fell 19% to $1.07 billion, and diabetes drug Januvia dropped 28% to $574 million.
Bristol-Myers Faces Legacy Challenges
Bristol-Myers Squibb is scheduled to release Q1 2026 results on April 30. Analysts expect EPS of $1.43 on revenue of $10.88 billion based on consensus compiled by Investing.com.
Blood thinner Eliquis faces pressure from European patent expiry on May 19, 2026. Management still targets Eliquis growth of 10% to 15% for the full year per Investing.com.
The new growth portfolio remains the key support, including Opdivo, Cobenfy, and Camzyos. Cobenfy for schizophrenia continues its linear trajectory since launch based on Investing.com analysis.
J&J Strengthens Neurology Clinical Data
Johnson & Johnson presented Phase 3 Vivacity-MG3 data at the American Academy of Neurology 2026 Meeting. The trial evaluated IMAAVY in adult patients with myasthenia gravis according to InsiderMonkey.
Results showed continued symptom improvement and consistent safety profile across extended follow-up periods. Patients also experienced reduced steroid use and meaningful functional improvements based on the InsiderMonkey report.
J&J also confirmed a head-to-head FcRn comparative study is actively enrolling participants. The move signals company confidence in IMAAVY competitive positioning per InsiderMonkey.
The combined updates from all three companies paint a picture of a global pharma sector still in growth mode. US stock investors can watch these dynamics as an early indicator of the healthcare quarterly earnings season.
Sources:
- https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/merck-posts-quarterly-loss-due-to-cidara-charge-sales-rise-5-4648557
- https://in.investing.com/news/earnings/bristolmyers-earnings-ahead-can-new-drugs-offset-legacy-slide-93CH-5367227
- https://www.insidermonkey.com/blog/johnson-johnson-jnj-highlights-sustained-efficacy-in-vivacity-mg3-trial-1750515/
