Roche 2016 core net profit up 7 pct to 12.7 billion Sfr

Feb 1 Roche on Wednesday reported full-year core net income rose 7 percent at constant exchange rates, just shy of analyst expectations, as the company continued to launch new drugs it hopes will offset looming patent expirations on older medicines. Core net income rose to 12.7 billion Swiss francs , Roche said, compared to the average 12.8 billion franc estimate by analysts in a Reuters poll.