Hikma Pharmaceuticals PLC (LSE:HIK, OTC:HKMPF) shares rose 5% in early trade on Thursday, buoyed by robust annual results that prompted the company to increase its dividend by nearly a third.
The pharmaceutical group reported a 14% rise in full-year revenues to $2.88 billion, with significant growth across its Injectables,
Core operating profits climbed 19% to $707 million, reflecting higher margins and improved profitability, particularly in the Branded and Generics segments.
The final dividend was raised to 47 cents, up from 37 cents, resulting in a total 2023 dividend of 72 cents — a 29% increase from 2022.
Despite this success, Hikma anticipates a slowdown in revenue growth to 4-6% for 2024, with core operating profits expected to range between $660 million and $700 million.
At 8.48 am, the stock was changing hands for 2,091p, up 93.5p.