4% rise in United Drug share price

United Drug’s share price rose almost 4% on the Irish Stock Exchange yesterday after a solid interim statement for its latest trading quarter.

The healthcare supply, sales and packaging company — for whom the first quarter of the present accounting year ended on Dec 31 — is predicting 4-8% higher earnings per share for the year ending Sept 30, 2012.

Stockbrokers agreed with the company’s own reading, with Davy upgrading its adjusted forecast from 23.9c to 24.3c earnings per share. This is equivalent to growth of 6.6% for the year.