Empresas y finanzas

Kyowa Hakko Fiscal 2007 Operating Income up 28.3%: Sales and Operating Income Exceed Plan Targets



    Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co. Ltd. (Kyowa Hakko)(TOKYO:4151) today announced its

    consolidated financial results for the year ended March 31, 2008 (Fiscal

    2007). Consolidated net sales were ¥392.1

    billion, up 10.7% and consolidated operating income was ¥39.3

    billion, an increase of 28.3% compared to fiscal 2006. Recurring income

    increased 23.0% to ¥37.9 billion and net

    income increased 84.9% to ¥23.4 billion.
    Operating income in the Pharmaceuticals segment grew by 26.8%, supported

    by higher sales of anti-allergic and other products, while in the

    Bio-Chemicals segment strong demand for amino acids overseas and the

    consolidation of Daiichi Fine Chemical resulted in a large increase in

    operating income of 135.6%. In the Chemicals and Food segments operating

    income decreased by 10.6% and 13.9% respectively as they were each

    affected by the sustained high prices of raw materials and other factors.
    R&D spending in fiscal 2007 was up 2.3% on fiscal 2006 to ¥34.1

    billion, which represented 8.7% of net sales, 0.7 percentage points

    lower than in the previous fiscal year.
    For the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009 (fiscal 2008) Kyowa Hakko

    forecasts a 25.0% increase in net sales, and a 44.7% increase in

    operating income, while recurring income and net income are forecast to

    grow by 47.4% and 19.3% respectively.
    Commenting on the results, Yuzuru Matsuda, President and CEO of Kyowa

    Hakko said, "ËœFiscal 2007 was the final year of

    our three-year, medium-term business plan during which we sought to

    strengthen competitiveness through strategic initiatives to invest

    aggressively for future growth and to expand sales of our existing

    businesses and implemented broad-ranging cost reductions. We have

    significantly exceeded our plan targets for sales and operating income

    driven by strong performances in Pharmaceuticals and Bio-Chemicals and

    Chemicals.
    Today we have also announced details of our new three-year business plan

    that details the strategic initiatives that we will pursue and our new

    targets for growth in sales and profits following integration with Kirin

    Pharma to form Kyowa Hakko Kirin.´

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    I. Fiscal 2007 Results

    - - - - - -

    Results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008
    - - - - - -

    (Billions of Yen)
    - - - - - -

    FY ended
    March 31, 2008

    FY ended
    March 31, 2007

    YOY
    Change (%)

    - - - - - -

    Net sales

    392.1

    354.2

    +10.7%
    - - - - - -

    Operating income

    39.3

    30.6

    +28.3%
    - - - - - -

    Recurring income

    37.9

    30.9

    +23.0%
    - - - - - -

    Net income

    23.4

    12.6

    +84.9%
    - - - - - -

    Net income per share (¥)

    59.03

    31.32

    +88.5%
    - - - - - -

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    Segmental results for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2008

    - - - - - -

    Sales

    (Billions of Yen)
    - - - - - -

    FY ended
    March 31, 2008

    FY ended
    March 31, 2007

    YOY
    Change (%)

    - - - - - -

    Pharmaceuticals

    138.3

    131.5

    +5.2%
    - - - - - -

    Bio-Chemicals

    86.8

    67.1

    +29.3%
    - - - - - -

    Chemicals

    108.0

    98.6

    +9.5%
    - - - - - -

    Food

    43.3

    42.5

    +1.7%
    - - - - - -

    Other

    48.9

    48.4

    +1.1%
    - - - - - -

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    Operating Income

    (Billions of Yen)

    - - - - - -

    FY ended
    March 31, 2008

    FY ended
    March 31, 2007

    YOY
    Change (%)

    - - - - - -

    Pharmaceuticals

    19.9

    15.7

    +26.8%
    - - - - - -

    Bio-Chemicals

    9.6

    4.1

    +135.6%
    - - - - - -

    Chemicals

    7.1

    7.9

    -10.1%
    - - - - - -

    Food

    1.5

    1.8

    -13.9%
    - - - - - -

    Other

    0.8

    0.9

    -13.4%
    - - - - - -

    Segmental Performance
    In the Pharmaceuticals business net sales increased 5.2% to ¥138.3

    billion, while operating income increased 26.8% to ¥19.9

    billion.
    Results benefited from higher sales of products such as Allelock

    an antiallergic agent, Patanol, an antiallergic ophthalmic

    solution, and Depakene, an anti-epileptic agent, despite a

    decline in sales of products such as Coniel, a treatment for

    hypertension and angina pectoris. The antiepileptic Topina, which

    was launched in September 2007, also contributed to the growth in sales.

    In the licensing-out of technologies and export of pharmaceutical

    products, sales of antiallergic agent Olopatadine hydrochloride that are outlicensed to Alcon, Laboratories, Inc. continued to perform

    very well.
    In new drug development in Japan, KW-2246, an analgesic for

    cancer pain, completed Phase II clinical trials. Kyowa Hakko is also

    carrying out Phase II clinical trials on KW-6002, an anti-Parkinson´s

    disease treatment, KW-6500, also an anti-Parkinson´s

    disease treatment, and KW-7158, a candidate treatment for irritable

    bowel syndrome. KW-0761, a therapeutic antibody that utilizes our

    Potelligent(R) technology, is in Phase I

    clinical trials as a blood cancer treatment, and KW-3357, an agent for

    inhibiting blood coagulation, and ARQ 197, an anticancer agent for the

    treatment of malignant tumors that was inlicensed from U.S. drug

    development company ArQule in April 2007, are also in Phase I clinical

    trials. In addition, inflammatory bowel disease agent Asacol

    which Kyowa Hakko is jointly developing with Zeria Pharmaceutical Co.

    Ltd., has completed Phase II clinical trials and preparations have been

    made for application for its approval as a new drug.
    Overseas, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) informed Kyowa

    Hakko in February 2008 that it could not grant approval as of that time

    for anti-Parkinson´s disease treatment

    KW-6002, for which Kyowa Hakko has applied for approval as a new drug in

    the United States. Kyowa Hakko has decided to consider its development

    policy for this treatment while proceeding with discussions with the

    FDA. In addition, Kyowa Hakko decided in March 2008 to outlicense

    KW-0761, which is in Phase I trials as a therapeutic antibody in Europe

    to major U.S. biotechnology company Amgen. Furthermore, Phase I clinical

    trials are underway in the United States for anti-cancer treatment

    KW-2449 and in Europe for anti-cancer treatment for malignant tumors

    KW-2478. Meanwhile, in China, application was made in July 2007 for

    approval for additional indications for Coniel as a treatment for

    angina pectoris, and Phase III clinical trials are underway for Allelock, an antiallergic agent.
    In the Bio-Chemicals business, net sales increased 29.3% to ¥86.8

    billion, while operating income increased 135.6% to ¥9.6

    billion. The major increase in sales was attributable to stronger

    overseas demand for raw materials for pharmaceuticals and industrial

    use, particularly amino acids, nucleic acids and related compounds, as

    well as increased sales in Japan of raw materials for generic

    pharmaceuticals. The inclusion of Daiichi Fine Chemical as a

    consolidated subsidiary also contributed. In healthcare products, sales

    increased from the previous fiscal year, due to steady growth in sales

    in overseas markets of amino acids used as dietary supplements and in

    mail-order sales in Japan of the Remake series, although Kyowa

    Hakko did not escape the impact of sluggish growth in the Japanese

    health food industry.
    In the Chemicals business, net sales increased 9.5% to ¥108.0

    billion, while operating income decreased 10.1% to ¥7.1

    billion. In Japan, firm demand from the car industry and others

    underpinned a slight increase in shipment volumes, while core product

    prices were revised against a background of higher raw materials and

    fuel prices accompanying continued high crude oil and naphtha prices

    leading to a large increase in sales compared to last fiscal year.

    Export shipment volumes were lower, despite prices trending higher in

    overseas markets, as production of certain products declined due to

    difficulties at production facilities, and export sales also declined

    slightly. By product category, sales volumes of high-purity solvents

    increased, driven by sales to the electronics materials industry. Sales

    in Japan and overseas of specialty chemicals products were slightly

    higher than in the previous fiscal year, supported by steady growth in

    core refrigerant oil raw materials.
    In the Food business, sales increased 1.7% to ¥43.3

    billion, while operating income decreased 13.9% to ¥1.5

    billion. In seasonings, sales of natural seasonings were broadly in line

    with the previous fiscal year, supported by expanding sales of fermented

    seasonings and despite sluggish sales of extract seasonings amidst a

    difficult environment of sharply rising prices of raw materials and

    other factors. Increased demand for Umami seasonings also

    contributed to higher sales.
    In bakery products and ingredients, sales were higher than in the

    previous year supported by sales of products such as core yeasts and

    flavor enhancers and despite the suspension of sales of certain products

    due to factors such as the rapidly increasing prices of raw materials.

    Processed foods also contributed to growth in sales, partly due to an

    increase in sales of OEM products.
    In the Other business segment, sales increased 1.1% to ¥48.9

    billion, while operating income decreased 13.4% to ¥0.8

    billion.

    = = = = = = = = = = =

    II. Forecasts for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009(a)

    - - - - - -

    Billions of Yen

    %

    - - - - - -

    FORECAST
    Fiscal year ending March 31, 2009

    Change compared to the previous fiscal year
    - - - - - -

    Net sales

    490.0

    +25.0%
    - - - - - -

    Operating income

    57.0

    +44.7%
    - - - - - -

    Recurring income

    56.0

    +47.4%
    - - - - - -

    Net income

    28.0

    +19.3%
    - - - - - -

    Net income per share (¥)

    48.72

    -17.5%
    - - - - - -

    These forecasts assume average exchange rates for fiscal 2008 of ¥110/US$

    and ¥160/euro.

    - - - - - -

    In fiscal 2008, we expect large increases in sales and profits, mainly

    due to integration with Kirin Pharma. Our forecasts for operating

    income, recurring income and net income reflect a ¥ 9.5 billion expense for the amortization of goodwill. The forecast

    dividend for fiscal 2008 is ¥20 per share (¥10

    interim dividend, ¥10 final dividend).
    In the Pharmaceuticals business, despite the challenging environment

    resulting from reductions in prescription pharmaceuticals prices that

    were implemented in April we are forecasting that fiscal 2008 net sales

    and operating income will each increase significantly, as a result of

    factors such as Kyowa Hakko´s integration with

    Kirin Pharma. Furthermore, we expect revenues due to benefit from growth

    in sales of core products Allelock and Patanol, the

    commencement of sales of Coversyl, an ACE inhibitor for treatment

    of hypertension in-licensed from Daiichi Sankyo, and a one-off contract

    payment for the outlicensing of KW-0761 to Amgen, although we expect

    sales of Durotep, an analgesic for persistent cancer pain, to

    decline due to the completion of the term of a joint sales contract.
    In the Bio-Chemicals business, we are forecasting an increase in sales

    due to expected growth in the health care domain, particularly in amino

    acids, for which we are pursuing an active sales expansion strategy, and

    in mail-order sales of the Remake Series. However, we are

    forecasting a slight decrease in operating income, as we expect an

    increase in SG&A expenses such as R&D expenses and amortization of

    goodwill. In the Chemicals business, we are forecasting an increase in

    sales, as we expect product prices to remain high against the backdrop

    of high prices for raw materials and fuel. However, we are forecasting a

    decrease in operating income, due partly to an expected increase in

    depreciation expenses. In the Food business, we are forecasting an

    increase in sales volumes of natural seasonings for the prepared food

    and restaurant markets, but we expect sales to be almost the same level

    as last fiscal year, partly as a result of a revision in the items we

    sell, and we expect operating income to decrease, partly due to

    amortization of goodwill.
    (a) The above forecasts are based on

    information available and assumptions made at the time of release of

    this document about a number of uncertain factors that can affect

    results in the future. It is possible that actual results are materially

    different for a wide variety of reasons.
    For further information please access: http://ir.kyowa.co.jp/english/index.cfm
    This document is an English translation of parts of the

    Japanese-language original. All financial information has been prepared

    in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in Japan. It

    contains forward-looking statements based on a number of assumptions and

    beliefs made by management in light of information currently available.

    Actual financial results may differ materially depending on a number of

    factors, including fluctuations in exchange rates, changing economic

    conditions, legislative and regulatory developments, delays in new

    product launches, and pricing and product initiatives of competitors.