Merck KGaA lifts guidance as bioprocessing and chips offset healthcare
German pharma and technology group Merck KGaA (MRK: DE) has upgraded its full-year 2026 outlook after a second quarter in which its laboratory and semiconductor materials businesses more than covered a weakening pharmaceutical unit. Group net sales rose 3.4% to 5.4 billion euros ($6.24 billion), equal to organic growth of 4.1%, with currency effects clipping 1.1 percentage points off the reported figure.
Earnings per share pre, the company's preferred adjusted measure, increased 6.9% to 2.16 euros. Reported earnings per share fell 24.7% to 1.13 euros. EBITDA pre grew 9.4% to 1.6 billion euros, lifting the margin to 29.4% from 27.8% a year earlier. Operating cash flow rose 6.7% to 605 million euros.
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