Topic: How To Invest

Q: Could I have your opinion on Sanofi? Much appreciated.

Article Excerpt

A: Sanofi (ADR), $49.70, symbol SNY on New York (ADRs outstanding: 2.5 billion; Market cap: $126.1 billion; en.sanofi.com) is a global pharmaceutical company based in France. It has more than 100,000 employees and 87 manufacturing plants around the world, with products sold in more than 170 countries. Sanofi operates five global business units: Diabetes & Cardiovascular, Specialty Care (MS, Oncology, etc.), Vaccines, General Medicines & Emerging Markets, and Consumer Healthcare. The company’s shares have moved up this year, thanks to strong demand for its multiple sclerosis drugs and vaccines in emerging markets. That has offset weakness in the Diabetes & Cardiovascular unit. In January 2017, Sanofi sold its animal health business to Boehringer Ingelheim in exchange for the firm’s consumer healthcare business. In addition, Sanofi received 4.3 billion euros cash, which it used, in part, to repurchase shares valued at 1.7 billion euros. On August 28, 2017, Sanofi Pasteur, the company’s global vaccine business, completed its $700 million acquisition of Protein Sciences. That deal…