STADA’s 2021 above-market development strengthens base for further growth, especially in Consumer Healthcare and Specialty

STADA CEO Peter Goldschmidt: “By growing ahead of market averages, STADA was able to generate the cash necessary to continue investing in our people, portfolio and pipeline for the future. Our purpose Caring for People’s Health means always providing patients with the medicines they need, even amid crises and conflicts.”

STADA outperformed the market again in 2021, overcoming challenging trading conditions to report 8% sales growth to EUR 3.25 billion and a 37% increase in profit as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) to EUR 776.5 million. All three of the group’s strategic product segments – Specialty, Consumer Healthcare and Generics – contributed to the sales rise, which accelerated especially during the second half of last year as market demand recovered. The group’s diverse product portfolio and broad geographic set-up enabled STADA to meet the needs of several healthcare stakeholders whilst contributing to resilience amid COVID-related market turbulence.

With an expanding Specialties portfolio and pipeline that includes Parkinson’s disease therapies and biosimilars, STADA ranks as the fourth-largest player by value in Europe for both Consumer Healthcare and Generics. During 2021, the group was able to strengthen this position, having outgrown both the overall market and its top-five peers in the over-the-counter segment, while closing the gap to the top-three retail generics players in Europe.

Overall in its European Markets region, STADA achieved 12% sales growth, including a 7% advance on an organic basis without acquisitions. Two-thirds, or 16, of the 24 countries in the region posted double-digit sales increases, including growth of more than 20% in France and Spain.

In Serbia, STADA’s Hemofarm contributed to the Group’s growth as one of STADA’s top-10 markets by sales in 2022. Serbia is also a major production and supply-chain hub for the STADA Group, supplying essential medicines to countries around the world from facilities in Vršac, Dubovac and Šabac.

“One in four prescription and OTC medicines sold in Serbia is supplied by Hemofarm”, pointed out Ronald Seeliger, Hemofarm’s president and CEO. “In the prescription sector, we continue to outpace the market through novel therapeutic options such as a first-to-market generic of the antithrombotic agent ticagrelor or ocrelizumab, a biologic medicine for treating multiple sclerosis.”

“Also in the consumer healthcare arena”, Seeliger continued, “Hemofarm continues to grow strongly, having augmented successful brands such as Probiotic with the addition of products such as Buscopan, Bisolvon and Dulcolax that we now market for Sanofi. The recent addition of the Intesta range has also expanded our offering of gastrointestinal remedies for pharmacies and their customers.”

STADA’s CEO, Peter Goldschmidt, stated: “I am proud and appreciative of how our 12,500 employees around the world have worked tirelessly with our supply-chain partners to ensure that medicines reach patients.”

“By growing ahead of market averages”, Goldschmidt continued, “STADA was able to generate the cash necessary to continue investing in our people, portfolio and pipeline for the future. Our purpose Caring for People’s Health as a Trusted Partner means always providing patients with the medicines they need, even amid crises and conflicts.”

“The in-licensing of nearly 100 additional in-development products during 2021 documents our position as a go-to-partner. Combined with our strong organic operations, solid financial foundation and highly dedicated workforce, makes me confident of STADA’s further success and strong contribution to global healthcare in 2022. Our broad geographic footprint in Western Europe, Middle East and Asia gives me confidence that we will also master the challenges we will face in Ukraine and Russia.”

Broad-based growth across three strategic segments

Specialty sales growth of 9% to EUR 639 million, equivalent to one fifth of group turnover, reflected in part the introduction of bevacizumab, STADA’s fourth marketed biosimilar, in several countries during 2021, as well as the ongoing roll-out of a novel triple combination formulation for treating advanced Parkinson’s disease. The group also last year reinforced its Specialties pipeline through a partnership formed with Sweden’s Calliditas Therapeutics that is aimed at developing and commercializing the first-ever approved treatment in the European Union for a chronic autoimmune kidney disease.

With Consumer Healthcare sales ahead by 15% to EUR 1.28 billion in 2021, comprising around two-fifths of group turnover, STADA confirmed its position as a growth leader within the industry. Organic line extensions, international expansion and marketing initiatives around brands such as Grippostad, Ladival, Nizoral, Snup and Vitaprost were complemented by successfully integrating recent acquisitions like the Walmark supplements business. Midway through last year, STADA acquired from Sanofi 16 well-established consumer healthcare brands across 13 countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Spain. Taking over this portfolio ─ which included cold & flu, skincare and food supplement brands such as Silomat, Mitosyl and Frubiase ─ fits ideally with STADA’s strategy of focusing on local hero brands that have strong customer loyalty in specific regions.

As Europe’s fourth-largest supplier of generic medicines, STADA was in 2021 able to reinforce its position with 2% sales growth to EUR 1.33 billion. Within this growth, Generics sales climbed by 6% in STADA’s Europe region, supported by strong performances and market-share gains in France and Italy.

Across all three strategic segments, STADA’s growth was underpinned by a highly efficient and reliable supply chain that supplied approximately 1.1 billion packs of medicines across the world in 2021.

Around 7,000 of STADA’s 12,500 highly engaged employees worldwide work in Technical Operations roles, dedicated to ensuring access to medicines. The importance of STADA’s unique corporate culture that allows unique talents to prosper was reflected in both participation in regular employee surveys that was far above industry benchmarks, as well as the recent receipt of a ‘Top Employer Award’ covering many of the group’s largest European markets. Furthermore, an independent audit of STADA’s compliance management system conducted by EY resulted in the best result possible.

Adjusted for special items, group EBITDA improved by 4% on a constant-currency basis to EUR 717.8m. Operating cashflow increased by 47% to EUR 589.2 million as STADA exercised diligent investment decisions and efficient cost management across the group.

With a diverse and balanced portfolio and pipeline, STADA is well positioned for future sustainable growth. Having during 2021 became a signatory to the United Nations Global Compact and committed to supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals through the group’s global sustainability policy, STADA is currently preparing its first group-wide Sustainability Report for publication in the near future.

About STADA Arzneimittel AG
STADA Arzneimittel AG is headquartered in Bad Vilbel, Germany. The company focuses on a three-pillar strategy consisting of generics, specialty pharma and non-prescription consumer healthcare products. Worldwide, STADA Arzneimittel AG sells its products in approximately 120 countries. In financial year 2021, STADA achieved group sales of EUR 3,249.5 million and reported earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) of EUR 776.5 million. As of 31 December 2021, STADA employed 12,520 people worldwide.

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