Takeda forecasts significant operating loss for FY2019

Takeda (TYO: 4502) today presented results for the 2018 financial year ended March 2019, and warned it expects to post a significant operating loss in its coming financial year, due to the integration costs associated with its $62 billion acquisition of Shire.

The negative forecast was unexpected but, notwithstanding, the firm’s shares closed the day down just 0.25% lower at 4,307 yen.

Japan’s largest drugmaker forecast on Tuesday that operating losses in the year to March 2020 will come in at 193 billion yen ($1.8 billion), versus an operating profit of 205 billion in the 12 months to March 2019. The expected loss is substantially below the 200 billion yen operating profit forecast in a Bloomberg poll of 14 analysts.