Merck KGaA lifts earnings outlook on demand for lab gear
Merck KGaA Raises 2026 Profit Guidance Amid Strong Lab Gear Demand
FRANKFURT, May 13 (Reuters) - Germany's Merck KGaA on Wednesday raised its guidance range for 2026 adjusted operating profit, citing stronger demand for its lab supplies and gear and delayed competition for its Mavenclad multiple sclerosis drug.
Updated Earnings Forecast
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), adjusted for special items, would likely be between 5.7 billion euros ($6.7 billion) and 6.1 billion euros this year, it said in a statement.
It had previously projected a range of 5.5 billion to 6.0 billion euros.
Analyst Expectations
Analysts had been expecting profit to reach 5.8 billion in 2026.
First-Quarter Performance
First-quarter adjusted EBITDA slipped 0.3% to 1.53 billion, beating average analyst expectations of 1.46 billion euros, based on a consensus posted on the group's website.
Life Science Unit Revenue Growth
It added that revenues at its Life Science unit, a maker of lab supplies, gained a currency-adjusted 8.3%, driven by demand for drug manufacturing equipment.
Impact of Regional Developments
That was partly because of "limited safety stock building in response to regional developments", it added.
Mavenclad Drug Sales Outlook
The German diversified group said it was no longer factoring in any U.S. sales of its Mavenclad drug from May because of the launch of generic copies, where it had previously guided for March.
Currency Exchange Rate
($1 = 0.8523 euros)
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Patricia Weiss, Editing by Linda Pasquini, Kirsti Knolle)
