10 of the Largest Pharmaceutical Companies by Revenue

Johnson & Johnson 

The pharmaceutical company seeing the greatest total revenue so far in 2020 is Johnson & Johnson, with a total of $39.03 billion in total between Q1 and Q2. 

In Q1, the company reported revenue of $20.7 billion, while Q2 saw sales of $18.3 billion, reflecting a decline of 10.8 percent.

Johnson & Johnson reported an operational decline of nine percent and adjusted operation decline of 8.8 percent. These decreases were driven mainly by the negative impact of COVID-19, the company noted. 

Specifically, consumer health global operational sales, excluding the net impact of acquisitions and divestitures, declined by 3.4 percent as a result of the pandemic. 

Both quarter's sales were driven mainly by over-the-counter products, including Tylenol and Motrin, while pharmaceutical worldwide operational sales were driven by biologic treatment, STELARA and multiple myeloma treatment, Imbruvica.

Roche

Swiss company, Roche, is a leader in research-focused healthcare and has the second highest revenue of 2020, with a total of $32.13 billion in the first half of the year.  

From January to March, the pharmaceutical company saw total sales of 15.1 million in CHF (Swiss Franc). By June 2020, the company reported a total Q2 revenue of CHF 29.2 million. 

This number broke down to CHF 23.2 million in the pharmaceutical division, CHF 6 million in the diagnostics division, and CHF 11.7 million in core operating profit. 

Specifically, the pharmaceutical division sales were up one percent, driven by newly launched medicines, including Tecentriq, Hemlibra, Ocrevus, and Perjeta.

Sinopharm

Sinopharm is the largest wholesaler and retailer of pharmaceutical and healthcare products and medical devices, and a leading supply-chain service provider.

The company reported that its total revenue for Q1 was RMB 203,764.71. RMB is the official currency of the People’s Republic of China.

This represents a gross margin of 8.46 percent, a 3.53 operating margin, and a 2.36 net profit margin.

Sinopharm stated that it continues to leverage China’s pharmaceutical and healthcare market to take advantage of opportunities arising from healthcare reform.

This will allow the company to further consolidate and enhance market leadership, “actively striving to become a pharmaceutical and healthcare service provider with international competitiveness.”

Bayer

Bayer, most known for its anti-inflammatory pain reliever, Aspirin, reported that its total revenue from January to June 2020 was $26.88 billion.

In Q1, the company’s total revenue was €12.8 billion, or $15 billion in US dollars, while Q2 saw sales decline by 2.5 percent to €10,054 ($11.8 billion) mainly due to volume-based procurement policy in China and COVID-19.

Pharmaceutical sales fell by 8.8 percent to €3,992 million ($4.6 million), with business impacted both by canceled non-urgent treatments due to the pandemic. 

The company, however, saw an increase in sales of its oral anticoagulant, XareltoTM, largely as a result of higher volumes in China, Russia, and Germany. License revenues, where XareltoTM is marketed by a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, were up slightly year on year. 

Sales from both the company’s cancer drug, Stivarga, and its pulmonary hypertension treatment, Adempas, rose significantly in the US.

Pfizer

Pharmaceutical company Pfizer is most known for its products, Advil, Viagra, Xanax, and Zoloft. It’s total revenue for Q1 and Q2 came in at $23.82 billion, breaking down to $12 billion in total sales in Q1 and $11.8 billion in Q2.

Specifically, Q2 2020 saw an 11 percent decline from Q2 of 2019 and a 32 percent decrease in reported net income from the prior-year quarter as well. 

Pfizer highlighted that the impact on its sales and marketing activities was largely due to widespread restrictions on in-person meetings and re-focused attention due to COVID-19.

The company’s biopharma sector saw a four percent overall change from Q2 of 2019 to Q2 of 2020, from $9,432 to $9,795 million in total revenue. 

And the operational growth in biopharma of six percent was primarily driven by Vyndaqel, Eliquis, Ibrance, Inlyta, and Xtandi.

Novartis 

Novartis, known for developing breakthrough treatments to address society’s most pressing issues, came in sixth in total revenue so far in 2020 at $23.63 billion. 

In Q1, the company’s total net sales equaled $12.2 billion, while Q2’s total revenue was $11.3 billion.

Q2 core operating income grew six percent due to lower spending and improved gross margin, but the net income declined four percent due to higher impairments.

Specifically, innovative medicines grew sales seven percent and core operating income 16 percent. 

The key products driving overall growth included Zolgensma, Entresto, Cosentyx, Promacta, Piqray, and Kymriah.

Sandoz Biopharmaceuticals also grew 19 percent, with double-digit growth in the EU and the US. Sandoz also grew overall sales one percent, Novartis noted.

Merck 

New Jersey-based pharmaceutical company, Merck, reported a total Q1 and Q2 revenue of $22.93 billion.

Q1 worldwide sales were $12.1 billion. In this quarter, Keytruda sales grew by 45 percent to $3.3 billion. Meanwhile, Q2 saw a sales decline of eight percent to $10.9 billion, reflecting the negative impact of COVID-19.

Keytruda sales only grew by 29 percent to $3.4 billion, but during the quarter, Merck continued to accelerate three pandemic-related vaccine and antiviral research programs.

“Our financial strength underpins our capital allocation priorities, including business development and the breakthrough research and development that creates value for society and our shareholders,” Kenneth C. Frazier, chairman and chief executive officer at Merck, said in the report .

GSK

GSK is the world’s biggest vaccine company and leading global company in combating respiratory illnesses.

The company landed in the eighth spot in total Q1 and Q2 revenue at $21.91 billion.

In April 2020, GSK reported that its Q1 sales were £9.1 billion ($11.87 million). This was driven by £4.4 billion ($5.7 billion) in the pharmaceutical division and £1.8 billion ($2.3 billion) for vaccines.

Q2 revenue was £7.6 billion. Pharmaceuticals and vaccines saw a decrease in sales, at £4.1 billion and £1.1 billion, respectively. 

GSK said that sales decline in Q2 2020 reflects disruption from COVID-19, particularly in vaccines, as well as destocking from Q1 in pharmaceuticals and consumer healthcare.

Total operating margin was 37.4 percent and adjusted operating margin was 22.9 percent, reflecting lower sales and growth in investment in research & development.

Bristol Myers Squibb

Bristol Myers Squibb is best known for its pharmaceuticals and biologics in therapeutic areas, including cancer, HIV/AIDS, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hepatitis, and rheumatoid arthritis. 

So far in 2020, the company reported total revenue of $20.91 billion, breaking down to $10.8 billion in Q1 and $10.1 billion in Q2. 

The slight decrease was mainly due to pandemic-related channel inventory work from the first quarter, lower demand from reduced new patient starts, and fewer patient visits to physicians during the pandemic, the company noted.

Specifically, US revenues increased by 77 percent to $6.5 billion in the quarter. International revenues increased by 40 percent to $3.6 billion in the quarter.

Bristol Myers Squibb reported that its revenue came from its most popular drugs, including Revlimid, Eliquis, Opdivo, Orencia, Yervoy, and Zeposia.

These 2020 numbers are a major overall increase from 2019, driven primarily by the impact of the Celgene acquisition, which was completed on November 20, 2019.

Sanofi

Sanofi focuses on major therapeutic areas, including cardiovascular, central nervous system, diabetes, internal medicine, oncology, thrombosis and vaccines. Its total revenue for Q1 and Q2 was $20.33 billion.

In Q1, the company reported a total revenue of £8,973 billion, or $10.5 US billion. In Q2, the company reported sales of £8,207 billion ($9.7 billion).

Although the key drivers for Q2 were Dupixent sales, resilience of specialty care, and cost savings of £990 million ($1.1 million), overall Q2 sales were down by 6.8 percent for vaccines, 12.7 percent for general medicine, and eight percent for consumer healthcare. 

Overall in the pharmaceutical sector, total sales reached £13,020 billion ($15.3 billion). This broke down to £7,618 billion ($8.9 billion) in total revenue for general medicines and £2,324 billion ($2.7 billion) for vaccines.