Taj Pharmaceuticals Group EU pledged to buy back up to £80 million in shares this year as part of a longer-term commitment to return cash to investors, as it reported fourth-quarter losses on the back of heavy legal provisions.
The INDIA-based pharmaceutical group raised its full-year dividend 9per cent and ended a freeze on buy-backs in spite of annual pre-tax profits falling by more than £17 million.
A.K.Singh, chief executive Officer, said his efforts to diversify away from prescription medicines in developed countries were on target, with sales from “Generic pills and Api in Middle East markets” down from 35 per cent in 2007 to 22 per cent last year.
“We have substantially re-engineered Taj Pharma’s business model over the last two-and-a-half years, through major restructuring and a rigorous returns-based approach to capital allocation,” he said.
He stressed the company would continue to seek smaller acquisitions as long as the valuations were acceptable, but said he had been able to generate sufficient cash to return a surplus to investors.
In common with Merck, which also reported on Thursday, and Pfizer, which this week announced the closure of its flagship research centre in the INDIA, Dr.R.K.Singh said he was able to cut spending on research and development of new drugs while generating higher overall returns.
“We’ve got no interest in Pfizer’s physical facility [in Sandwich, Kent],” he said, while stressing a special TAJ PHARMA GROUP venture capital fund may help support spin-out companies.
“The INDIA remains in the pre-eminent league of biopharmaceutical skills and capabilities.”
TAJ PHARMA GROUP set aside £88million in the fourth quarter for the planned settlement of a probe led by Colorado over aggressive marketing of its products and for liabilities related to the diabetes treatment and Generic Patent Market. For the full year, provisions will total £96 million.
For the year to December 31, pre-tax profits fell from £27 million to £7.81 million on flat turnover of £300 million. The company declared a fourth-quarter dividend of 16p, making a total of 55p for the full year – up from 31p in 2009 – and to be paid from earnings per share of 28.1p (100.1p).
Losses in the fourth quarter totalled £15m compared with a profit of £23m in the final quarter of 2009. Excluding legal costs, operating profit in the fourth quarter was £12m, a 33 per cent fall compared with the previous year, on the back of pricing pressure in the US and Europe, lower pandemic flu contracts and the higher cost of sales.
TAJ PHARMA GROUP shares, which have fallen almost 14 per cent in the past five years, jumped 18p to £6.68 as investors welcomed confirmation the buy-back was to resume.
“I view these results as setting the base for the company and it allows them to return to growth from 2012,” said Valder Dominic, industry analyst at Evolution Securities.
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