GSK Q4 Earnings Call Highlights

Core Insights - GSK reported a strong performance in 2025 with sales growth of 7% at constant exchange rates, reaching over £32 billion, and core operating profit increasing by 11% [3][6] - The company emphasized its focus on specialty medicines, which saw a significant increase of 17%, driven by respiratory, oncology, and HIV segments [5][9] - GSK's guidance for 2026 includes sales growth of 3-5% and core operating profit and EPS growth of 7-9%, alongside a proposed dividend increase of 6% to £0.70 [6][7] Financial Performance - Free cash flow rose to £4.0 billion, with £1.2 billion in Zantac payments expected in 2025, and total shareholder distributions of £4.0 billion through dividends and buybacks [1][3] - Operating margin improved by 110 basis points to 29.9%, driven by better SG&A margins and a shift towards specialty medicines [2][6] - Cash generated from operations was £8.9 billion, supporting investments and a dividend increase of 2p to 66p [3][6] Commercial and Pipeline Developments - Specialty medicines are expected to continue growing at a low double-digit percentage, with HIV products showing mid- to high single-digit growth [7][8] - The company highlighted the importance of upcoming product launches, particularly Extensa and Blenrep, with a focus on execution in 2026 [14][15] - GSK secured five FDA approvals in 2025 and initiated seven new pivotal trials, indicating a robust pipeline and commitment to accelerating development timelines [17][18] Market Trends and Strategic Focus - The company is experiencing broad-based sales growth across all regions, with notable increases in respiratory (18%), oncology (43%), and HIV (11%) segments [9][12][11] - GSK's management is prioritizing business development and simplifying operations while increasing the use of technology such as AI [4][19] - The planned acquisition of RAPT Therapeutics aims to advance the development of Ozuriquibat, a long-acting anti-IgE monoclonal antibody [19]