Dive Brief:
- After Pfizer's recent $15.2 billion acquisition of Hospira, there is heavy speculation that the company is on the acquisition trail, looking to gain revenues and growth within its existing structure.
- Pfizer gained Hospira's injectables business in the deal, as well as expertise in the area of biosimilars and generics.
- Pfizer still stands to benefit from an acquisition that could provide tax benefits and would not run afoul of current tax-inversion deal parameters.
Dive Insight:
When Pfizer's bid to acquire AstraZeneca (AZ) for $120 billion fell apart, the company not only lost the potential addition of AZ's drug portfolio, but also any tax benefits that would go along with the acquisition of U.K.-based AZ.
Now that Pfizer has whet its appetite by buying Hospira, speculators are guessing at which companies might be next in line as acquisition targets. Two companies in particular that have been mentioned, according to FiercePharma, are Actavis and Mylan.
It's still early in the year. Chances are good that by the end of 2015, Pfizer will pursue another large-scale acquisition.