KARACHI: Pakistan’s listed pharmaceutical sector recorded an all-time high in profitability, surging 78 per cent year-on-year to Rs42.2 billion in 2025, primarily driven by higher sales, lower active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) costs, and reduced finance costs.

Similarly, on a quarter-on-quarter basis, the earnings rose 53pc to Rs14.2bn from Rs9.3bn in 4Q2024.

Net sales increased by 14pc YoY to Rs365.7bn in 2025, up from Rs319.6bn in 2024, largely owing to price-led growth amid deregulation of nonessential drugs. Similarly, in 4Q2025, sales rose by 18pc YoY to Rs102.1bn. During 2025, the major sales contributions came from Abbot (21pc), Glaxo (18pc), Haleon (12pc), and The Searle (8pc), respectively.

Muhammad Abdur Rafay of Top Line Securities said the sector disbursed dividends of Rs21.1bn (payout: 50.3pc) in 2025 versus Rs12.0bn (payout: 50.6pc) in 2024.

Published in Dawn, April 11th, 2026