Watson Pharmaceuticals readies for growth, new products, name change

By Lisa Kerner

Charlotte, N.C., Jan. 3 - Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a much broader base from which to grow, including growth internationally and on the brand side, according to president and chief executive officer Paul Bisaro.

"We have a lot of levers to our business that allow us to grow," Bisaro said during a presentation at the 2013 Goldman Sachs Healthcare CEOs Unscripted: A View from the Top conference on Thursday.

Bisaro cited Watson's 180 pending Food and Drug Administration applications and its "good track record of monetizing assets.

"Our mantra has been double-digit growth year over year, and that is not going to change anytime soon," Bisaro said.

Bisaro responded to questions about emerging markets and said there are "structural problems that prevent you from being successful in certain markets," such as China, although he said it is possible to be successful in certain emerging regions of that country.

Looking ahead, Bisaro said to expect more "patch and gel products" from Watson.

When asked about returning money to investors in the form of dividends, Bisaro said he "is not opposed to giving it back." However, he feels investing the money in the company and its products will be better for shareholders in the long term.

Watson is expected to become Actavis by the end of the month, its new name for global operations following its previously announced acquisition of Actavis in 2012.

Watson is a Parsippany, N.J.-based pharmaceutical maker of generics and specialized branded products for women's health.

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