Strong First Half Says Merck KGaA

Worldwide turnover in the first six months of 1996 increased strongly, says German pharmceutical company Merck KGaA, rising 8% to 3.4 billion Deutschemarks ($2.3 billion). Group pharmaceutical sales jumped 10% to 1.9 billion marks, laboratory sector turnover was 833 million marks, up 6%, and turnover of specialty chemicals increased 4% to 656 million marks.

The firm said that net profits in the first half were up 22% to 242 million marks. Merck expects "an ongoing positive development of earning power also for the second half of 1996."

Capital expenditure rose 2.2% to 235 million marks. Merck invested 316 million marks in R&D in the first six months of the year, compared with 277 million marks a year ago.