Novartis said it returned to sales growth for the second quarter, after lower-priced competition in the U.S. for drugs that went off patent weighed on its top and bottom lines in prior quarters. Net sales for the second quarter were $14.41 billion, up 1% at constant currency, the Swiss drugmaker said Tuesday, beating analyst estimates.

Growth from some of its top-selling products, such as cancer drugs Kisqali and Pluvicto, and multiple-sclerosis treatment Kesimpta, offset declines for medicines that lost patent protection. Analysts polled by Visible Alpha had forecast quarterly net sales at $13.96 billion, meaning the company exceeded expectations by roughly $450 million.

Core operating profit—one of its preferred earnings metrics—was flat at $5.94 billion, against consensus expectations of $5.31 billion, representing a significant beat. The results suggest the company's newer portfolio is successfully compensating for patent expirations that have pressured revenue in recent periods.