(By Balachander) Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE: LLY) posted weaker-than-expected quarterly earnings, as patent expirations of anti-psychotic drug Zyprexa continued to drive lower revenue and margins and the pharmaceutical giant slashed its forecast for 2012.
On a non-GAAP basis, earnings per share (EPS) declined 30 percent to $0.79 from $1.13, and trailed market expectations of $0.83 a share. Net earnings increased 7 percent to $1.33 billion, helped by early payment of the exenatide revenue-sharing obligation.
Revenue dropped 11 percent to $5.44 billion, worse than Wall Street projections of a drop of 8.60 percent. Total revenue in the U.S. dropped 9 percent, and fell 15 percent outside the U.S.
Zyprexa revenue plunged 68 percent, while revenue from depression treatment Cymbalta rose 16 percent.
Gross margin contracted 0.3 percentage points to 77.9 percent for the third quarter.
Volumes dipped 9 percent due to the loss of patent exclusivity for Zyprexa in most major markets.
Cost of sales dropped 10 percent and operating expenses declined 3 percent.
Looking ahead for the full year, the company still expects non-GAAP EPS in the range of $3.30 to $3.40 on between $21.8 and $22.8 billion. Analysts' expect earnings of $3.39 per share on revenue of $22.72 billion.
On a reported basis, Eli Lilly now forecasts EPS of $3.68 to $3.78, down from $3.72 to $3.82 projected earlier. GAAP forecast includes income of 43 cents from early payment of Amylin revenue-sharing obligation. Following the completion of its acquisition by Bristol-Myers Squibb, Amylin has paid to Lilly $1.259 billion in satisfaction of its revenue sharing obligation with respect to exenatide.
LLY shares, which have been trading between $35.46 and $53.99 over the past year, closed Tuesday's regular trading at $51.91.