2014 a record year for Bayer, with pharma fired up by new products

For German pharma major Bayer (BAYN: DE), 2014 proved to be a record year, with the company notching up sales of 42.24 billion euros ($47.35 billion), a rise of 5.2% (+7.2% Fx and portfolio adjusted) on 2013, with a stellar performance from its prescription medicines businesses.

Bayer’s shares closed Thursday up 3.7% at 123, euros, giving the company a market capitalization of over 109 billion euros. The firm also reported that earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) has increased 5.2% to 5.51 billion euros, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) before special items has rise 4.9% to 8.81 billion euros.

“Contributing to this in particular was the continuing growth momentum in our Life Science businesses, and especially the pleasing development of our recently launched products,” said chief executive and management board chairman Marijn Dekkers on Thursday at the firm’s financial news conference in Leverkusen, noting that the sector was strengthened by “important acquisitions,” including Merck & Co’s consumer health care activities and Chinese company Dihon Pharmaceuticals.