Merck & Co stumbles and pledges savings to restore growth

29 July 2025

US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) was trading 4% lower in pre-market Tuesday after the group presented its second quarter 2025 financial results and guidance for the rest of the year.

Second quarter sales slipped by 2% to $15.81 billion, below the $15.9 billion anticipated by analysts.

Merck said it earned $5.4 billion, or $2.13 a share - excluding certain items - in the quarter, down from $5.8 billion, or $2.28 a share, a year earlier. Analysts, on average, had forecast earnings of $2.01 a share.

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