Novartis Q1 Core EPS Misses $2.10 Forecast

Novartis reported Q1 2026 core earnings per share of $1.99, below Bloomberg’s $2.10 estimate and down from $2.28 a year earlier.
Net sales slipped 1% YoY to $13.11 billion, driven by U.S. generic erosion and higher R&D expenses.
CEO Vas Narasimhan cited patent expiries of Entresto, Promacta and Tasigna in 2025 and said pipeline momentum could lift outlook later in 2026.
The company kept its annual guidance of low single‑digit net‑sales growth and a low single‑digit decline in core operating income.