Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) shares rallied more than 5% premarket Friday as the company reported a robust second quarter, surpassing Wall Street's expectations for both earnings and revenue, and raised its full-year guidance.
The pharmaceutical giant posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $2.07, significantly higher than the analysts' estimate of $1.64. Revenue for the quarter was also strong at $12.2 billion, beating the consensus estimate of $11.52 billion and marking a 9% increase from the same quarter last year, or an 11% rise adjusting for foreign exchange.
The company's performance was propelled by its Growth Portfolio, which saw revenues climb to $5.6 billion, an 18% jump, or 21% when considering foreign exchange adjustments.
This increase was mainly due to robust demand for products like Opdivo, Reblozyl, Camzyos, and Opdualag, although partially offset by Abecma. The Legacy Portfolio also contributed with a 2% revenue increase, driven by Eliquis and Pomalyst, despite a decline in Revlimid due to generic competition.
Bristol Myers Squibb's raised guidance reflects confidence in its trajectory, with the company now expecting adjusted EPS for 2024 to be between $0.60 and $0.90, compared to the previous range of $0.40 to $0.70. This updated guidance is well above the analysts' consensus of $0.51, signaling a positive outlook for the company's financial performance.
The company also now sees full-year revenue in the upper end of the low single-digit range, higher than the previously forecast low single-digit increase.
"Our second quarter results reflect progress against our strategy to position BMS for long-term, sustainable growth," said Christopher Boerner, board chair and chief executive officer. "We're also driving operational excellence throughout the company, becoming more agile and strengthening execution."
The positive market response underscores investor confidence in Bristol Myers Squibb's growth strategy and its ability to deliver on its promises. The company's focus on operational excellence and its pipeline of promising treatments, including the anticipated U.S. launch of KarXT and recent approvals for Breyanzi, position it well for continued success.
The company's financial health was further evidenced by a gross margin increase on an adjusted basis from 75.0% to 75.6% due to favorable product mix, despite a decrease in GAAP gross margin primarily due to a one-time impairment charge.
Additionally, the company's effective tax rate on an adjusted basis improved from 16.9% to 14.1%, mainly due to the release of income tax reserves.
As Bristol Myers Squibb moves into the second half of the year, its raised guidance and strong second-quarter performance indicate a positive trajectory, with the stock market reflecting this optimism through the significant uptick in share price.