A third of pharmaceutical industry CEOs are very confident that they can increase their companies’ revenues over the next 12 months, according to the PricewaterhouseCoopers 12th Annual Global CEO survey.

The survey of 47 pharma CEOs around the world indicates that the credit crunch may actually provide opportunities for many large pharma companies, particularly those with low debt ratios and strong cash positions.

Compared to over a thousand CEOs interviewed in other industry sectors for the survey, pharma CEOs are more confident and less concerned about the disruption of capital markets than their peers are, less likely to state that recent problems in the global banking system will delay investment plans, and more likely to be using internally generated cash flow as a means of financing growth.

Continuing merger activity looks likely, with pharma companies using their healthy cash balances to fund acquisitions. In addition pharma CEOs are more likely than their peers in other industry sectors to be planning a cross-border merger or acquisition in the next 12 months, PwC says.

“Pharma CEOs will have to make tough decisions about what actions are required to ensure their company’s future growth and successful operating models,” says Gord Jans, leader of the PwC Canada Pharmaceutical/Life Sciences practice. “Historically, external economic forces have impacted the pharmaceutical sector less than other manufacturing areas, and this year pharma CEOs are notably more confident about short-term growth than their peers. However weak pipelines require CEO’s to look hard at their cost base and business structures.”

Despite challenges such as the downturn, over-regulation and low-cost competition, 55% of pharmaceutical CEOs believe that the structural changes facing the industry’s business model will have a positive impact over the long term.

IE