Takeda Pharmaceutical Narrows Quarterly Loss, Guides for Lower Annual Profit

By Jason Chau

Takeda Pharmaceutical reported a narrower loss in its fourth quarter, though revenue growth was slower than expected, and forecast weaker profit in the new fiscal year.

The Japanese drugmaker's net loss was 24.32 billion yen, equivalent to $154.3 million, for the three months ended March, according to a Wall Street Journal calculation. That was narrower than the Y103.2 billion loss it recorded a year earlier and beat analysts' estimate for a Y33.1 billion loss in a poll by Visible Alpha.

Quarterly revenue rose 3.9% from a year earlier to Y1.094 trillion, missing market expectations for Y1.134 trillion.

For the full year, net profit jumped 78% to Y191.76 billion, while revenue slipped 1.5% to Y4.506 trillion.

Takeda attributed the weaker annual revenue to the continued pricing decline of its ADHD drug Vyvanse as more generic competitors entered the market, while annual net profit was partially boosted by a decrease in net finance expenses.

Sales of its flagship drug for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, Entyvio, rose 4.2% on a constant exchange-rate basis during the period, while revenue from its plasma-derived therapies increased 1.9% according to the same measure.

Takeda's results come as the drugmaker is navigating high inflation in many parts of the world, driven in part by the war in Iran, which has sent energy costs soaring. The effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global trade, has also blocked the shipments of many pharmaceutical ingredients.

For the fiscal year ending March 2027, the company guided for net profit to decline 13% to Y166.0 billion and revenue to climb 3.0% to Y4.640 trillion.

It expects the launches of three new innovative drugs in the next 12 months, along with favorable foreign-exchange effects, to drive the revenue growth, while an increase in net finance expenses is likely to weigh on earnings.

Write to Jason Chau at jason.chau@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

May 13, 2026 04:59 ET (08:59 GMT)