A&D Pharma, the largest player on the Romanian
pharmaceutical market, posted a 7.2% sales rise in euros in the
third quarter of the year and a 27% increase in RON, to 131.7
million euros against the similar period in 2008. In the first half
of the year, sales in euros were lower than in the corresponding
period of last year.
The pharmaceutical group reported a 364.6 million-euro
turnover in the first nine months of the year, down 3% (in euros)
against the similar period of 2008. In RON, the company saw a 12%
advance.
The group’s profit is not mentioned in the quarterly
report.
“We continue to implement cost-cutting measures in order to
improve profitability (…) As opportunities arise, we will take
advantage of them as we said when we announced negotiations for
five takeovers in Eastern European countries,” said Robert Popescu,
CEO of A&D Pharma.
Recently the group announced it was interested in acquiring
several companies involved in drug import, marketing, sales and
distribution in Bulgaria, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech
Republic, in which A&D Pharma shareholders hold controlling
stakes.
In order to integrate these companies, A&D Pharma will use
the 100 million-euro loan attracted in the summer from BCR, BRD,
Citibank Europe, RBS Bank Romania and UniCredit Bank Austria.
The group is structured into three divisions, with the biggest one, the distribution division, reporting a 5% rise to 266 million euros. The Sensiblu drugstore chain, which operates 220 drugstores, had the best progression, recording a 22% rise to 135.7 million euros in the first nine months of the year. On the other hand, the marketing & sales division recorded a 55% business decline, “mainly because of the product portfolio restructuring, but also because of products being recategorised among the divisions.”