The pharmaceutical group Merck defied the cost increases in raw materials and logistics in the second quarter and exceeded market expectations with growth in sales and earnings. The company confirmed the organic growth targets, but expects stronger tailwinds from the currency side and raised the expectations for the absolute earnings targets for 2022.
Sales for the year as a whole are now between 21.9 and 23.0 billion euros instead of between 21.6 and 22.8 billion euros, the adjusted EBITDA – the so-called EBITDA pre – between 6.75 and 7.25 instead of between 6.6 and 7.1 billion euros and adjusted earnings per share between 9.85 and 10.75 instead of between 9.60 and 10.50 euros. Organically, sales should continue to increase by 6 to 9 percent and adjusted EBITDA by 5 and 9 percent.
In the months of April to June, sales climbed by 14.3 percent to 5.57 billion euros, as reported by the DAX group. Organic sales growth amounted to 6.6 percent. Adjusted Group earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA pre) increased by 13.1 percent to EUR 1.782 billion. On a like-for-like basis, profit grew 3.2 percent. Positive currency effects provided 9.5 percentage points of support here. Adjusted earnings per share increased by 17.9 percent to EUR 2.64.
