STADA’s growth journey continues in 2024 - Significant increase in sales and profits - Growing ahead of the market
- Group sales increase by 9% to € 4.059 billion; adjusted cc EBITDA rises by 11% to € 886 million; adjusted cc EBITDA margin up to 21.8%; further sales and profits growth targeted in 2025
- In Europe, STADA outperforms the market in all three business segments as per YTD November 2024 data: Consumer Healthcare (+8.5%), Generics (+6.5%) and Specialty (+21.8%)
- CEO Peter Goldschmidt: "We have again in 2024 demonstrated our ability to continue growing faster than the market in all our business segments. This is based on our entrepreneurial culture, our broad range of brands, our reliable production network, and the high level of trust we enjoy among our partners and customers."
Bad Vilbel – 7 March 2025 - STADA, a leading healthcare and pharmaceutical company in Consumer Healthcare, Generics and Specialty pharmaceuticals, continued its profitable growth journey in 2024. STADA again outperformed the market in all three business segments - supported by its strong commercial network in Europe, complemented by a growing presence in the MENA, Eurasia and Asia-Pacific regions. Group sales grew by 9% to € 4.059 billion versus the 2023 financial year. At the same time, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, adjusted for special items and currency effects, (adj. cc EBITDA) rose by 11% to € 886 million, while the adj. cc EBITDA margin increased further to 21.8%.
"We have again in 2024 demonstrated our ability to continue growing faster than the market in all business segments. This is based on our entrepreneurial culture, our broad range of brands, our reliable production network, and the high level of trust we enjoy among our partners and customers," commented CEO Peter Goldschmidt.
STADA's corporate culture has changed fundamentally in recent years. "At STADA, our culture drives performance. Our purpose of Caring for People’s Health as a Trusted Partner, underpinned by our values and vision, gives us a clear direction and a drive constantly to deliver ahead of the market," explained Goldschmidt. This is reflected in the outstanding results in the group’s employee satisfaction survey, which in November 2024 found that 84% of employees are proud to work for STADA. As part of the evaluation by the independent Top Employers Institute, STADA was recognized as a "Top Employer 2025 Europe" for the fourth time in a row. The UK was one of six STADA markets specifically commended with the Top Employer Europe certification.
Great British Brands, Great British Manufacturing
“We are proud to be recognised as a fantastic place to work. Our motto is Great British Brands, Great British Manufacturing, and we export around the world from our production sites in Huddersfield and Preston,” said Nigel Stephenson, UK General Manager, adding: “Our site in Huddersfield serves as a centre of excellence across the group for developing consumer healthcare products. With our Britannia neurology unit in Reading, and our Natures Aid health supplements affiliate in Lancashire, we are well placed to provide a broad treatment portfolio for a wide range of healthcare needs in the UK.”
The UK is STADA’s second-largest Consumer Healthcare market by sales, accounting for 13% of group CHC revenues in 2024. Recent additions to the group’s UK consumer healthcare offering include Nizoral Itchy and Sensitive shampoo as well as a Daily Prevent conditioner. In the home hygiene sector, Zoflora Toilet Rim Blocks were launched.
STADA Thornton Ross continues to play a leading role as a supplier of dermatology creams and emollients to the NHS. In the prescription-only sector, STADA UK increased its range of therapeutic options with respiratory inhalers, an ustekinumab biosimilar in immunology, and an orphan medicine for rare and debilitating kidney disease IgA-Nephropathy (IgAN).
STADA remains market leader in Consumer Healthcare in Germany
In Consumer Healthcare (CHC) – which includes top-selling brands such as Nizoral, Zoflora, Grippostad, Snup, Silomat, and Hirudoid – STADA successfully defended its leading position in the German market. Despite the negative impact of a weaker flu season, STADA was able to increase sales in this segment to € 1.537 billion, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 25.4%. In Europe, STADA's market gross sales grew by 8.5% and thus more strongly than the market (+7.1%), as per YTD November 2024 data[1].
In addition to targeted marketing measures, the continued CHC growth was also due to product innovations, such as Hoggar Melatonin Gummies for sleep problems in Germany, plus Zoflora Toilet Rim Blocks in the UK and the launch of Oilatum skincare lines in the MENA region. STADA also expanded its digital presence and significantly increased its reach through e-commerce channels through a continued strong performance.
"With our strong portfolio, including many local hero brands, we cover all important categories in Consumer Healthcare. We are also a preferred marketing partner thanks to our local expertise and established presence in our markets," stated Goldschmidt.
Further sales growth in Generics
STADA is the established number 4 in the European market2 for affordable off-patent generic medicines. In financial year 2024, STADA achieved Generics sales of € 1.652 billion, with strong growth from both existing and newly launched molecules. Important product launches such as the anticoagulant rivaroxaban and dabigatran, which is used to prevent strokes caused by atrial fibrillation, contributed significantly to this development.
STADA continued to outpace the European prescription-bound unbranded generics market, registering 6.5% growth, versus an overall 5.0% rise in the market value.[2]
To further strengthen its European supply chain for generic and other medicines, STADA last year opened a large site in Turda, Romania, that will contribute to the safe supply of medicines in Europe with an annual capacity of more than 150 million packs. Among key products supplied from the site are antidepressants, antihistamines, anti-inflammatory drugs and medicines for the treatment of diabetes, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Innovations in Specialty foster rapid growth
STADA’s Specialty business was, in 2024, once again the Group’s fastest-growing segment. Sales rose strongly to € 870 million, while the segment’s adjusted EBITDA margin advanced to 33.3%. YTD November 2024 market data for Europe shows STADA’s Specialty revenues increasing by 21.8%, more than double the market average growth rate of 8.9%.[3]
Continued growth of our in-market biosimilars, successful launches of our new ustekinumab biosimilar, and the expansion of the patient base for innovative products such as Lecigon and Kinpeygo contributed significantly to this growth. Ustekinumab, marketed under the name Uzpruvo, is a biosimilar that is used to treat autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis and Crohn's disease. An innovative pump therapy for advanced Parkinson's disease, Lecigon has been launched in 19 countries to date, reaching more than 1,700 patients. In July 2024, Kinpeygo became the first treatment approved in the EU for the rare and debilitating kidney disease IgA nephropathy to receive full marketing authorization from the European Medicines Agency (EMA).
STADA again achieves top rating in the area of sustainability
STADA also made further significant progress on sustainability in 2024, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 33% compared to 2020 and now covering 65% of energy consumption with renewable energy. The company has committed to covering more than 90% of its key suppliers with an assessment from EcoVadis, a leading platform for evaluating sustainability performance, by 2025. Today, 80% have already been achieved.
STADA's high level of commitment is also reflected in the Group's excellent ESG (environmental, social and governance) risk ratings. The independent agency Sustainalytics recently ranked STADA among the top 3% of pharmaceutical companies worldwide in terms of ESG risks (10th place out of 425 companies included). This first-class rating underpins STADA's commitment in this area.
STADA also expects strong sales and earnings in 2025
For 2025, the Executive Board anticipates the Group, which currently has more than 260 promising projects in development, continuing on a sustained growth trajectory. STADA expects Group revenues in a range between € 4.25 billion and € 4.40 billion. EBITDA adjusted for special items and currency effects is expected to be between € 930 million and € 990 million and would thus once again increase more strongly than Group revenues in percentage terms.
