My overall feeling is that this group has been massively out of favor for the last four years, but we've actually had a lot of good news in the last couple of months that should bring them into favor.
We do this all the time. We pay them for their time. Sometimes they do conference calls. Sometimes they prepare slide shows.
Though this news is clearly a disappointment, we believe that the damage is largely done and the 10 percent decline in the stock price fully compensates for the approximately 8 percent reduction in the earnings outlook for next year.
Expectations are at absolute rock-bottom levels. So this is huge. If they actually achieve it, it does change things.
Based on improving new product visibility, benefits from restructuring initiatives, and near-term volume boost from Medicare Part D supports our Attractive rating for the U.S. pharmaceutical sector.
Are they going bankrupt? No. But they had a string of bad news like I've never seen before. Bad news has become a norm to the company.
Approximately 50% of the cases are filed in the federal court, where standards for scientific evidence are far more rigorous.
They're not going to make anything, but neither will they lose anything because they're not selling in those countries anyway. So it's a good public deed on their part, which is why I think most of this is public relations.
This is in response to a very challenging environment. I would expect broader cuts to be announced within the sales force, marketing, general and (administration) as well as R&D over the longer run.
In addition, we think completion of the company's consent decree obligations is a major psychological positive that could also have financial implications, as spending on consultants and inspections declines.