GSK宣佈鉅額重組計劃 試圖贏回股東的支持
GlaxoSmithKline has launched a multibillion pound restructuring drive, including a potential flotation of its HIV drugs business, in a push to win back shareholder support after a year marked by corruption allegations and faltering sales.
葛蘭素史克（GlaxoSmithKline，簡稱GSK）發起鉅額重組努力，包括可能讓艾滋病(HIV)藥物部門上市，試圖在經歷一年的腐敗指控和疲弱銷售後贏回股東的支持。
Sir Andrew Witty, chief executive, said GSK would consider an initial public offering of a minority stake in ViiV Healthcare next year that would place it in the top half of the FTSE 100 index as a standalone company, with a valuation of up to £15bn.
首席執行官安德魯•維迪爵士(Sir Andrew Witty)稱，GSK將考慮明年對旗下艾滋病醫藥公司ViiV Healthcare的少數股權啓動首次公開發行(IPO)，使其作爲一家獨立公司躋身於富時100(FTSE 100)指數前50位，估值可能高達150億英鎊。He also announced a cost-cutting programme aimed at saving an annual £1bn within three years and said the 2015 dividend would be held flat at this year’s 80p a share level, assuaging concerns that the payout could be under threat. The measures represented a response to mounting shareholder unrest over GSK’s lacklustre financial performance, as well as fallout from the Chinese bribery scandal that resulted in a £300m fine last month.
他還宣佈了一個成本削減計劃，目標是在3年內每年削減10億英鎊。他表示2015年的股息將保持在今年每股80便士的水平，這減輕了市場對GSK股息受到威脅的擔憂。這些措施是爲了安撫股東因GSK平平的財務業績以及中國行賄醜聞的衝擊波而日益升溫的不滿，該醜聞最後以GSK上月支付3億英鎊罰款而告終。
Its shares rose 2.6 per cent but are still down 13 per cent in the past year, compared with a double-digit rise in the wider healthcare sector.
GSK的股價上漲了2.6%，但在過去一年累計仍下跌13%，而醫療板塊整體股價漲幅達兩位數。Sir Andrew admitted it had been a “painful” year for GSK as its most important medicine – Advair for asthma – has faced increasing price pressure in the US. But the restructuring measures marked an attempt to get back on the front foot even as some big shareholders step up pressure on GSK’s board.
維迪承認，GSK經受了“痛苦”的一年。該公司最重要的藥物——治療哮喘的舒利迭(Advair)——在美國面臨日益上升的價格壓力。但這些重組措施標誌着GSK試圖恢復元氣。目前一些大股東正加緊對該公司董事會施壓。Some are pushing for an acceleration of Sir Philip Hampton’s appointment as chairman after it was announced last month that the outgoing chair of Royal Bank of Scotland would succeed Sir Christopher Gent by next September.
上月，GSK宣佈現任蘇格蘭皇家銀行(RBS)董事長菲利普•漢普頓爵士(Sir Philip Hampton)將在明年9月接替克里斯托弗•根特爵士(Sir Christopher Gent)出任董事長。一些股東正試圖加快這一交接進程。One top-10 shareholder said Sir Christopher had been “an absentee landlord” during GSK’s recent troubles and that it “would be good to start the new year afresh with a new chairman”.
10大股東中的1家表示，根特在GSK最近遭遇麻煩期間是個“缺席的主人”，而且“在一個新的董事長領導下開始新的一年將是好事”。“It is never good to have a leadership vacuum at the top,” said Dan Mahony, fund manager at Polar Capital, which owns shares in GSK. “When things are going well maybe you could give a year’s notice but not when you are facing the pace of change that is engulfing GSK.”
“頂層出現領袖空缺從來都不是一件好事，”擁有GSK股票的Polar Capital基金經理丹•馬奧尼(Dan Mahony)說，“當事情進展順利時，或許你可以提前宣佈在一年後離職，但當你面對現在席捲GSK的鉅變時，你就不能這樣做了。”People close to GSK rejected the criticism of Sir Christopher, and said yesterday’s restructuring showed that the board was working closely with management to reshape the business.
與GSK關係密切的人士駁斥了對根特的批評，並表示昨天宣佈的重組方案表明董事會正與管理層密切合作以重塑這家公司。
