The Pharmacy Industry in Rana: Current Status and Future Prospects

Overview of the Pharmacy Industry in Rana

Rana has an active pharmacy industry with 5 registered companies in the municipality. In recent years, the industry has shown both growth and decline in revenue and number of employees. In 2025, there was a significant drop in revenue (NOK 113.4 million) compared to 2024 (NOK 186.8 million), which may indicate market challenges. The number of employees has also shown variations, with a decline from 88 in 2016 to 67 in 2026. The industry has a stable EBITDA margin of 7%, indicating good cost management in the most profitable companies.

Revenue and Employee Development

• Revenue (NOK):
• 2016: 159.9 million
• 2017: 64.0 million (decrease of 60.0%)
• 2025: 113.4 million (decrease of 39.3% from 2024)
• Number of Employees:
• 2016: 88
• 2026: 67 (decrease of 23.9% over 10 years)

Key Figures from 2024 (last complete available year):

• EBITDA margin: 7%
• Gross profit: 12,673% (high value, may be due to data specifications)
• Operating margin: 5%
• Average operating income per employee: NOK 2.5 million

Conclusion: The industry has shown strong revenue fluctuations but has maintained a stable EBITDA margin. The decline in 2025 should be further investigated to identify causes.

Registered Companies in Rana (2025):

Organizational Forms:

• All companies are registered as AS (Anonymous Companies)
• No companies are registered as sole proprietorships or limited liability companies

Observation: Three of the companies (Vitusapotek Meyer, Vitusapotek Mo I Rana Byporten, Vitusapotek Ytteren) have no registered revenue or operating profit in 2025. This may indicate that they are newly established, have faced challenges, or have not reported data correctly.

Distribution of Activity in the Municipality:

• Mo I Rana:
• Number of companies: 5
• Number of employees: 67
• Revenue: NOK 96.7 million
• Operating income per employee: NOK 2.5 million
• EBITDA per employee: NOK 178,500

Other Areas in the Municipality:

• No other districts or locations in Rana have reported activity in the pharmacy industry in 2025.

Conclusion: Activity is strongly concentrated in Mo I Rana, which is the main business area for the pharmacy industry in the municipality.

Bankruptcies and Operational Challenges:

• Bankruptcies: None of the companies in the pharmacy industry in Rana have been registered as bankrupt in 2025.
• Operational Challenges:
• Three companies (Vitusapotek Meyer, Vitusapotek Mo I Rana Byporten, Vitusapotek Ytteren) have no registered revenue or operating profit in 2025. This may indicate that they are newly established, have faced challenges, or have not reported data correctly.

Causes of Variations in Revenue and Employees:

• Large Decline in 2017: Revenue fell by 60.0% from 2016 to 2017, which may be due to external factors such as economic crises or market changes.
• Increase in 2018: Revenue increased by 184.7% from 2017 to 2018, which may indicate improved operations or increased market efforts.
• Decline in 2025: Revenue fell by 39.3% from 2024 to 2025, which should be further investigated to identify causes.

Analysis of Data and Development Trends:

• Stable EBITDA: Despite the revenue decline in 2025, the industry has maintained a stable EBITDA margin of 7%, indicating good cost management.
• Competitiveness: With 5 companies in the municipality, the market is relatively small, which may offer opportunities for new entrants looking to establish themselves.
• Development in Number of Employees: The decline in the number of employees over time may indicate operational improvements or a reduction in scale.

Expectations for Entrepreneurs:

• Opportunities:
• Stable market with a focus on Mo I Rana.
• High EBITDA margin indicates good cost management.
• Challenges:
• The revenue decline in 2025 should be investigated to identify causes.
• Competitiveness in a small market may be challenging.

Recommendation: Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Mo I Rana, where there is the most activity. It is also important to analyze the cause of the revenue decline in 2025 to ensure stable operations.

The pharmacy industry in Rana has shown both growth and decline in revenue and number of employees over time. With 5 companies in the municipality, the market is relatively small, but there is a stable EBITDA margin of 7%, indicating good cost management. Activity is strongly concentrated in Mo I Rana, which is the main business area for the industry. Entrepreneurs should consider establishing themselves in Mo I Rana, where there is the most activity, and analyze the cause of the revenue decline in 2025 to ensure stable operations.