Researchers at Bentley University compared the revenues and profitability of 35 of the largest drug companies with 357 companies of equivalent size from other industries.
A typical large pharmaceutical was outpacing a company of similar size operating in a different sector across several financial measures; earnings were 13.8 percent against 7.7 percent for other industry sectors, gross profit margins were 76.5 percent compared to 37.4 percent, and earnings before interest and tax were 29.4 percent against a non-pharmaceutical sector average of 19 percent.
Pharmaceutical profits reduced slightly when research and development costs were added back in, but the findings still raise questions about the price drug companies charge for their products, the researchers say.
(Source: JAMA, 2020; 323: 834-43)
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