Novartis Q2 Profits Up 19% to $2.44 Bil.
Drug maker Novartis AG has reported a second-quarter increase in net profit of 19 percent to US$2.44 billion on strong sales.
The Basel, Switzerland-based company reported a net profit of $2.04 billion in the same quarter a year ago.
Sales rose 11 percent to $11.72 billion in the April-June period from $10.55 billion the previous year.
Novartis said Thursday that results were affected by US$231 million it set aside for litigation and legal settlements.
The company announced Wednesday that it reached an out of court settlement to pay up to US$152.5 million to female employees who had brought a gender discrimination lawsuit against Novartis in the United States.
GENEVA (AP)