Focus on four health themes
Consumer Health Care specializes in over-the-counter pharmaceutical products and focuses on four health themes: Cough and Cold, Mobility, Everyday Health Protection, and Women’s and Children’s Health. The main distribution channels for our products are pharmacies as well as retail chains, drug stores and mail order in some countries and certain markets.
| XLS |
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Consumer Health Care | Key figures |
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€ million |
2011 |
2010 |
Δ in % |
|
Total revenues |
496 |
472 |
5.1 |
|
Gross margin |
339 |
317 |
6.9 |
|
R&D |
23 |
25 |
–8.1 |
|
Operating result |
46 |
14 |
231 |
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Exceptional items |
– |
– |
|
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Free cash flow |
40 |
45 |
–12 |
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Underlying free cash flow |
40 |
45 |
–12 |
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ROS in % |
9.3 |
2.9 |
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General business performance
Total revenues of the Consumer Health Care division rose by 5.1% to € 496 million in 2011. Organic growth was 4.9%, which exceeded average market growth of 4.5%.
The operating result of the division more than tripled to € 46 million. This was due to the fact that the division was less impacted by negative one-time effects than in 2011. As part of systematic efforts taken primarily in the fourth quarter to improve the division’s cost structure, marketing, selling and administration expenses declined. ROS amounted to 9.3%, which also represented a significant improvement over the previous year’s level of 2.9%.
The division’s EBIT was € 46 million compared to € 14 million in 2010. Free cash flow was € 40 million. At € 23 million, R&D spending was slightly lower than in 2010.