08.09.19
Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, generated strong net sales growth in the second quarter of 2019, primarily on an organic basis. EBITDA pre grew strongly and was also driven by organic performance. Merck KGaA confirmed its full-year forecast for 2019.
“We achieved sales growth in all business sectors and regions. The jump in earnings was due to the very good business performance of Life Science as well as the milestone payments in Healthcare. These payments are evidence of our successes in developing innovative medicines,” said Stefan Oschmann, chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA. “For the full year 2019, we continue to assume growth for the Group key figures, namely sales, EBITDA pre and EPS pre.”
In the second quarter, Merck KGaA generated net sales growth of 6.9% to €4.0 billion (Q2 2018: €3.7 billion). Organic sales growth amounted to 5.6%. Merck KGaA grew organically in all regions, with especially strong growth in Asia-Pacific, its largest reporting region.
EBITDA pre, the Group’s most important earnings indicator, rose by 23.8% to €1.1 billion in the second quarter (Q2 2018: €920 million). The increase primarily stemmed from organic growth of 20.3% and was driven by the milestone payments in Healthcare and the good performance in Life Science. It was supported by positive exchange rate effects of 3.3% and slight portfolio effects of 0.3%. Accordingly, Group EBIT also grew very strongly, increasing by 57.6% to €618 million (Q2 2018: €392 million).
Net income of Merck KGaA rose in the second quarter by 90.8% to €471 million (Q2 2018: €247 million). Earnings per share increased to €1.08 (Q2 2018: €0.57). Earnings per share pre climbed by 25.2% to €1.54 (Q2 2018: €1.23).
Net financial debt of Merck KGaA as of June 30 increased by €1.1 billion over Dec. 31, 2018 to €7.8 billion (Dec. 31, 2018: €6.7 billion). The main reasons for this included the first-time application of the new accounting standard IFRS 16 as well as dividend payments.
In the first six months of 2019, net sales of the Group rose by 7.2% to €7.7 billion (January-June 2018: €7.2 billion). This positive sales development was mainly due to the organic sales increase of 5.7%, to which all three business sectors contributed. EBITDA pre rose by 9.6% to €2.1 billion in the first six months of 2019 (January-June 2018: €1.9 billion).
“We achieved sales growth in all business sectors and regions. The jump in earnings was due to the very good business performance of Life Science as well as the milestone payments in Healthcare. These payments are evidence of our successes in developing innovative medicines,” said Stefan Oschmann, chairman of the Executive Board and CEO of Merck KGaA. “For the full year 2019, we continue to assume growth for the Group key figures, namely sales, EBITDA pre and EPS pre.”
In the second quarter, Merck KGaA generated net sales growth of 6.9% to €4.0 billion (Q2 2018: €3.7 billion). Organic sales growth amounted to 5.6%. Merck KGaA grew organically in all regions, with especially strong growth in Asia-Pacific, its largest reporting region.
EBITDA pre, the Group’s most important earnings indicator, rose by 23.8% to €1.1 billion in the second quarter (Q2 2018: €920 million). The increase primarily stemmed from organic growth of 20.3% and was driven by the milestone payments in Healthcare and the good performance in Life Science. It was supported by positive exchange rate effects of 3.3% and slight portfolio effects of 0.3%. Accordingly, Group EBIT also grew very strongly, increasing by 57.6% to €618 million (Q2 2018: €392 million).
Net income of Merck KGaA rose in the second quarter by 90.8% to €471 million (Q2 2018: €247 million). Earnings per share increased to €1.08 (Q2 2018: €0.57). Earnings per share pre climbed by 25.2% to €1.54 (Q2 2018: €1.23).
Net financial debt of Merck KGaA as of June 30 increased by €1.1 billion over Dec. 31, 2018 to €7.8 billion (Dec. 31, 2018: €6.7 billion). The main reasons for this included the first-time application of the new accounting standard IFRS 16 as well as dividend payments.
In the first six months of 2019, net sales of the Group rose by 7.2% to €7.7 billion (January-June 2018: €7.2 billion). This positive sales development was mainly due to the organic sales increase of 5.7%, to which all three business sectors contributed. EBITDA pre rose by 9.6% to €2.1 billion in the first six months of 2019 (January-June 2018: €1.9 billion).