April 25 (Reuters) - Sanofi's Sasy.pa Said on Thursday First-Quarter Operating Income Declined 14.7% as Unfavourable Currency Effects and Cheap Competition to Multiple Sclerosis Drug Aubagio Outweighed Rising Sales of Anti-Inflammatory Drug Dupixent.
The French Drugmaker Said in a Statement That Operating Income, Adjusted for One-Offs, Slipped 14.7% to 2.84 Billion Euros ($3.04 Billion), a Touch Above the 2.79 Billion Euros Expected on Average by Analysts in a Poll on the Company's Website.
The Company Reiterated It Expects 2024 Adjusted Earnings per Share (EPS) to Slip by a "Low Single-Digit" Percentage, Excluding Currency Swings, Citing Higher Taxes and an Increase in Development Expenditure.
Currency Changes Would Drag 2024 Earnings Lower by Between 5.5% and 6.5% at Current Rates, It Added.
($1 = 0.9338 Euros)
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger; Editing by Benoit Van Overstraeten)
((Ludwig.burger@Thomsonreuters.com; +49 30 220133634;))