Q2 results preview: Lower input costs may aid pharma firms' margins

Analysts expect overall sales growth to be 10-11%

Analysts are expecting pharmaceutical companies to post sales growth of 10-11 per cent in the second quarter this financial year while the Ebitda (earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation) margins are anticipated to improve by about 110 basis points.

Ebitda improvement will be led by lower input costs because prices of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) are 5-15 per cent lower year-on-year (Y-o-Y).

Axis Capital said sales growth would be around 10 per cent, of which growth in the India market would be 11 per cent or so. And the United States (US) market would see a 4 per