KENILWORTH (NJ) (dpa-AFX) - (Amended: corrects to say that excluding items, Company reported loss vs profit last year)
Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK), a pharmaceutical company, on Thursday reported a net loss for the first quarter of 2026, due to acquisition charges. However, the drugmaker recorded a rise in sales, helped by the performance of oncology and animal health segments, and increased contributions from launches.
For the three-month period, the drug maker reported a net loss of $4.240 billion, compared with a net income of $5.079 billion in the same period last year. Net loss per share stood at $1.72 as against a net income of $2.01 per share a year ago. Excluding items, loss was $3.156 billion, or $1.28 per share, compared with a profit of $5.611 billion, or $2.22 per share last year.
The company's loss was due to a $3.62 per share charge for the acquisition of Cidara Therapeutics, Inc.
Merck recorded sales of $16.286 billion, higher than $15.529 billion in the previous year.
Looking ahead for fiscal 2026, the drugmaker now expects adjusted income of $5.04 to $5.16 per share, including a positive impact from foreign exchange of around $0.10 per share. Merck now anticipates annual sales of $65.8 billion to $67 billion, including a positive impact from foreign exchange of around 1%.
Earlier, for fiscal 2026, the company had projected adjusted income of $5 to $5.15 per share, with sales of $65.5 billion to $67 billion. For fiscal 2025, Merck had posted adjusted income of $8.98 per share, with revenue of $65 billion.
MRK was up by 3.63% at $115.05 in the pre-market trade on the New York Stock Exchange.
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