Novartis expects net sales to rise by a low single-digit percentage this year and core operating profit to take a small dip as it faces patent expiries while accelerating work to bring new products to the market. The forecast follows net sales in the second quarter of $14.4 billion, up by 3% in US dollars from a year earlier and by 1% at constant exchange rates. By comparison, sales in the first quarter declined. Second quarter core operating profit, a non-IFRS measure excluding amortisations and impairments, was flat.
