FRANKFURT, May 13 (Reuters) – Germany’s Merck KGaA on Wednesday raised its guidance range for 2026 adjusted operating profit, citing stronger demand for its lab supplies and gear and delayed competition for its Mavenclad multiple sclerosis drug.
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA), adjusted for special items, would likely be between 5.7 billion euros ($6.7 billion) and 6.1 billion euros this year, it said in a statement.
It had previously projected a range of 5.5 billion to 6.0 billion euros.
Analysts had been expecting profit to reach 5.8 billion in 2026.
First-quarter adjusted EBITDA slipped 0.3% to 1.53 billion, beating average analyst expectations of 1.46 billion euros, based on a consensus posted on the group’s website.
It added that revenues at its Life Science unit, a maker of lab supplies, gained a currency-adjusted 8.3%, driven by demand for drug manufacturing equipment.
That was partly because of “limited safety stock building in response to regional developments”, it added.
The German diversified group said it was no longer factoring in any U.S. sales of its Mavenclad drug from May because of the launch of generic copies, where it had previously guided for March.
($1 = 0.8523 euros)
(Reporting by Ludwig Burger and Patricia Weiss, Editing by Linda Pasquini, Kirsti Knolle)
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