- PHOENIX group demonstrates its role as the backbone of healthcare during pandemic
- Increase in revenue (€28.2 billion) and EBITDA (€653.4 million)
- Position in pharmaceutical wholesale and pharmacy retail expanded
- Continued growth in Germany, the largest market
- Focus on digitalisation
In a challenging fiscal year 2020/21 (31/01/2021), dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the PHOENIX group further strengthened its leading position in Europe’s pharmaceutical wholesale and pharmacy retail market. The company increased its revenue by 3.2 per cent compared with the previous year to €28.2 billion. Total operating performance, the key figure relevant to pharmaceutical wholesale and comprising revenue and handled volume, rose by 4.0 per cent to €35.9 billion during this period. Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) grew from €603.6 million to €653.4 million. This corresponds to an increase of 8.3 per cent.
Successful fiscal year thanks to employees
Sven Seidel, Chief Executive Officer of PHOENIX Pharma SE, stated: “Despite the strong fluctuations in demand in the past fiscal year, we achieved an increase in our revenue and result. By working together with the pharmacies, we were able to meet peak demand reliably even during the pandemic.” He added: “Thanks to the commitment and dedication of our employees in wholesale and retail, we successfully maintained supply to the general public in highly affected regions, even during the most trying periods of the pandemic. The PHOENIX group has thus underlined its role as the backbone of healthcare in Europe.” In fiscal year 2020/21, more than 39,000 PHOENIX employees across Europe played their part in ensuring the reliable supply of medicines and health products.
Europe-wide growth – position in Germany further strengthened
The pan-European healthcare provider PHOENIX group recorded growth compared with the previous year in around three-quarters of its national markets in fiscal year 2020/21. Accounting for a 34.4 per cent share of the group’s total revenue (previous year: 33.7 per cent), the German market made a significant contribution to this positive business development. Compared with the same period of the previous year, revenue in Germany increased by 5.3 per cent or €491.9 million to €9.7 billion overall.
Focus on digitalisation
The PHOENIX group has taken advantage of the increasing digitalisation of healthcare systems, which has been further accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic, to drive forward its omnichannel services for end consumers and patients throughout Europe. To this end, the company has implemented market-specific digital services in numerous countries and expanded its e-commerce activities. In Germany, for example, PHOENIX has launched “gesund.de”, the country’s first central health platform.
Positive outlook for fiscal year 2021/22
For the current fiscal year 2021/22, the company anticipates an increase in revenue slightly above the growth of the European pharmaceutical markets. Revenue growth is expected in nearly all of the markets in which the PHOENIX group is present. Profit before tax is forecast to remain at the level of the previous year.
Key figures of PHOENIX Pharma SE compared with the same period of the previous year
2019/20 in €m | 2020/21 in €m | |
| Total operating performance1 | 34,513.8 | 35,902.0 |
| Revenue | 27,322.8 | 28,209.1 |
| Total income2 | 2,941.9 | 3,052.7 |
| EBITDA | 603.6 | 653.4 |
| Profit after tax (before goodwill impairment) | 164.9 | 234.7 |
| Equity3 | 2,832.4 | 2,959.7 |
| Equity ratio (in %)3 | 29.9 | 28.6 |
| Net debt3 | 2,294.9 | 2,006.9 |
| Employees | 39,013 | 39,532 |
(Balance sheet date 31/01/2021)
1 Total operating performance = revenue + handled volume (handling for service charge).
² Total income = gross income + other operating income.
3 As at reporting dates 31/01/2020 and 31/01/2021.
