Roche beats sales forecasts, reaffirms outlook

Roche reported third-quarter 2026 sales of 16.13 billion Swiss francs ($19.61 billion), up 8.1% from 14.92 billion francs a year earlier. Sales rose 7% at constant exchange rates, beating the Visible Alpha/Bloomberg consensus of 15.78 billion francs; KSL cites a 15.75 billion franc estimate. Pharmaceuticals grew 8% and diagnostics 5% at constant exchange rates. Ocrevus rose 9% at constant currencies and Hemlibra rose 13% year over year, while Xolair sales of 848 million francs missed the 925 million francs expected. Roche reaffirmed its full-year 2026 outlook for sales growth around 5% at constant exchange rates and core EPS growth just under 10%. Chief Executive Thomas Schinecker said the company aims to bring up to 20 new medicines to market by 2030. Giredestrant is ready for launch later this year and fenebrutinib is nearing approval. Left-rated outlets led with Xolair's role and pipeline bets in multiple sclerosis and oncology. No right-rated coverage is in the record. Sources also noted easing currency headwinds after months of drag, demand for laboratory and pathology systems, and pressure from China healthcare-pricing reforms on diagnostics.