Merck tops quarterly estimates, hikes profit outlook as new form of Keytruda shows strength
Article excerpt
In this article Merck on Thursday topped third-quarter estimates and hiked its adjusted profit outlook, as its immunotherapy Keytruda, including a newer injectable form of the drug, showed stronger-than-expected sales. The pharmaceutical giant now expects adjusted earnings to be between $2.77 and $2.82 per share. That adjusted profit outlook is up from a previous range of $2.66 to $2.76 per share. The guidance now includes a one-time charge of $400 million, or 12 cents per share, related to its licensing agreement with the Chinese cancer drugmaker SciBrunch Merck also narrowed the low end of its 2026 revenue guidance, now expecting sales between $66.8 billion and $67.3 billion. That compares to a previous outlook of $66.3 billion to $67.3 billion. The company has been on a deal spree as it races to offset generic competition for Keytruda after key patents begin expiring in 2028. Merck is also positioning the new form of the drug, Keytruda Qlex, as a cornerstone of its growth strategy. The goal is to transition patients from the original intravenous version to Qlex, considered a more convenient under-the-skin injection. This strategy allows the company to defend its market share and sustain Keytruda's blockbuster sales beyond the original version's loss of exclusivity. Keytruda raked in $8.60 billion in sales for the quarter, beating the $7.73 billion that analysts were...
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Merck raked in $18.09 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 5% from the same period a year earlier.
