Source: Lannett Company
What: After announcing that it will acquire Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals for $1.23 billion, shares in the generic drug maker Lannett Company (LCI) jumped by 15% earlier today.
So what: Kremers Urban Pharmaceuticals markets 18 products generating $800 million in trailing 12-month revenue through the end of the second quarter. Importantly, Kremers is a highly profitable company that expands Lannett's exposure to specialty drugs and is expected to increase earnings by mid to high single digits in fiscal 2016 and by 20% to 25% in fiscal 2017.
Kremers also boosts Lannett's manufacturing and research capacity and adds 11 pending ANDA's and 17 product candidates to Lannett's drug pipeline.
Given Lannett reported sales of $99 million and EPS of $0.91 last quarter, leading to the company issuing guidance for sales of at least $425 million in fiscal 2016, this deal has a chance to significantly increase Lannett's financial results.
Now what: Lannett's bottom line is expected to improve as the company cuts up to $40 million in annual costs over time and recognizes a tax benefit of $100 million associated with the transaction -- and that means that industry watchers are likely to bump up, rather than cut, their EPS outlooks for next year.
If so, then Lannett, which is already attractive to investors because of its 23% year-over-year sales growth last quarter and 14.2 forward P/E ratio, could be worth buying -- especially if shares give back a little of today's gain.
