Merck Stock Falls As Q2 Earnings Lag Wall Street Estimates, Trimmed FY21 Guidance Below Consensus

Merck & Co Inc MRK Q2 sales reached $11.4 billion, +22% Y/Y, missing the consensus of $11.5 billion. Excluding the foreign exchange impact, revenues were up 19%, reflecting ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and underlying solid demand.
Pharmaceutical sales increased 22% to $10 billion. Keytruda sales grew 23% to $4.2 billion, excluding forex impact sales were up 20%.
Vaccine sales rebounded, and Gardasil/ Gardasil 9 sales were up 88% to $1.2 billion.
Animal Health revenue expanded 34% to $1.5 billion.
Adjusted EPS of $1.31 also came in below the analysts' estimate of $1.44.
2021 Guidance: Merck trims sales outlook to $46.4 billion - $47.4 billion (consensus $48.59 billion) versus earlier outlook of $51.8 billion - $53.8 billion (included Organon).
It expects an adjusted EPS of $5.47 - $5.57 (consensus $6.15).
Price Action: MRK shares are down 1.34% at $77.28 during the premarket session on the last check Thursday.
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