Perrigo to review options for multiple sclerosis drug royalties

(Reuters) - Perrigo Company Plc (PRGO.N), a maker of generic and over-the-counter drugs, said on Thursday it would review strategic alternatives for the rights to the royalties from sales of its multiple sclerosis drug Tysabri.

Perrigo also said it continued to expect full-year adjusted earnings per diluted share to be $6.85 to $7.15. Analysts on average were expecting an adjusted profit of $7.02, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The company, which had a market capitalization of $11.97 billion (10 billion pounds) as of Wednesday's close, however, said it expected to report a net loss of $9.04 to $9.34 per diluted share for the calendar year 2016.

Perrigo has been targeted by activist investor Starboard Value LP, saying the Dublin-based drugmaker must make immediate improvements to turn around its sagging stock price.

The royalty divestment is one of the actions that Starboard called for earlier in September when it disclosed a 4.6 percent stake in the company and complained about its sagging stock price.

Dublin-based Perrigo has hired Morgan Stanley as financial adviser to lead the review process for Tysabri, the company said in a statement.

Perrigo had been exploring sale of Tysabri royalties before Starboard's proposals, Reuters reported in September citing people familiar with the matter. Royalty Pharma, a privately held company that specializes in acquiring drug royalties, is one of the potential buyers, the people had added.

The company reported a net loss of $1.26 billion, or $8.76 per share, in the third quarter ended Oct. 1, compared with a profit of $113 million, or 77 cents per share, a year earlier.

The quarterly net loss includes a goodwill impairment charge of $804 million and a brand intangible assets impairment charge of $866 million related to the Omega acquisition.

On an adjusted basis, the company earned $1.80 per share, above the analysts' average estimate of $1.58, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

Perrigo's revenue rose 1 percent to $1.35 billion, which includes the sales of $22 million from held-for-sale units.

Analysts on average were expecting revenue of $1.28 billion.

Separately, the company said it appointed two independent members, Geoffrey Parker and Theodore Samuels, to its board.

Current board members Michael Jandernoa and Gary Kunkle will not stand for reelection in 2017, the company added.

(Reporting By Aurindom Mukherjee in Bengaluru; Editing by Amrutha Gayathri and Gopakumar Warrier)