Eisai Co. said Monday it posted record group pretax and net profits for the fifth straight year in fiscal 2004 due to strong demand for drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease and peptic ulcers, its two major products in Japan and abroad.
Japan's leading pharmaceutical manufacturer said its consolidated net profit increased 10.7 percent from the previous year to 55.51 billion yen and pretax profit rose 6.8 percent to 89.09 billion yen on record sales of 533.01 billion yen, up 6.6 percent. Sales hit an all-time high for the sixth consecutive year.
Eisai said it plans to raise dividend payments to 56 yen per share for fiscal 2004, up from 36 yen the previous year. It will increase its dividend to 80 yen for fiscal 2005 to next March 31.
Pre-share net profit for fiscal 2004 through March 31 expanded to 193.39 yen from 172.11 yen a year earlier.
Among its core drugs, sales of Aricept, used to treat Alzheimer's disease, reached 162.86 billion yen, up 15 percent, while sales of its Pariet/Aciphex proton pump inhibitor for peptic ulcers grew 2.5 percent to 132.30 billion yen.