☰

Salud Bienestar

J&J profit rises on cost cuts, '09 forecast flat


    NEW YORK (Reuters) - Johnson & Johnson said on Tuesday fourth-quarter earnings rose as cost-cutting overshadowed lower sales of drugs facing generic competition, and it forecast flat 2009 earnings from last year.

    The diversified healthcare company earned $2.71 billion, or 97 cents per share, compared with $2.37 billion, or 82 cents per share, a year earlier.

    Excluding special items, J&J earned 94 cents per share. Analysts polled by Reuters Estimates, on average, expected 92 cents per share.

    J&J expects full-year 2009 earnings of $4.45 to $4.55, excluding items. The forecasts include expected dilution of 3 cents to 5 cents per share from J&J's purchase of medical device company Mentor Corp. The company earned $4.55 last year, excluding items.

    (Reporting by Ransdell Pierson; Editing by Derek Caney)