If you are invested in AstraZeneca PLC (LSE:AZN), please look away now.
For, the latest results statement from Pfizer has revealed its Covid jab and sales of a new antiviral will generate US$54bn in revenues this year after the American giant raked in US$37bn from mass inoculation programmes in 2021.
AZ, of course, has basically given its vaccine away at cost as part of the pact with the drug’s discoverers at the University of Oxford. So, it will likely make a fraction of that money.
It will also likely be the only time a chief executive will be pilloried for doing the right and moral thing.
Though possibly not in the case of AZ boss Pascal Soriot, who does have walk-on-water status with shareholders for his incredible role in reviving the fortunes of the formerly slumbering Anglo-Swedish giant.
The successes of noisy neighbour AZ (other than in the vaccines field) and the 600-pound gorilla Pfizer, will continue to shine the light on GlaxoSmithKline, which is in the crosshairs of activist investor, Elliott Management.
On Wednesday morning, GSK boss Emma Walmsley was touting a 'step-change' in growth in 2022 with adjusted operating profit slated to rise by 12%-14%.
This is against the backdrop of a monumental 12 months for chief executive Walmsley and her team, who are preparing also to spin off its consumer operation following three bids from Unilever, the last valuing the operation at £50bn.
The final results reveal the hill the group has to climb financially with sales up a comparatively anaemic 5% at £34bn and adjusted earnings off 2%.