10-Q · May 4, 2026
For Q1 2026, Merck reported revenues of $16.29 billion, reflecting a 5% increase year-over-year, outpacing estimates. However, the company posted a GAAP loss per share of $1.72, which was worse than expected, leading to…
Earnings analysis · 10-Q
MRK earnings analysis
Filed August 7, 2026 · Our reading of the company's report
The latest report
Merck delivered $16.607 billion of second-quarter revenue, up 1.9% sequentially and 5.0% year over year, and above the $16.388 billion consensus estimate. EPS was a $0.13 loss, improving from the prior quarter’s $1.72…
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Merck delivered $16.607 billion of second-quarter revenue, up 1.9% sequentially and 5.0% year over year, and above the $16.388 billion consensus estimate. EPS was a $0.13 loss, improving from the prior quarter’s $1.72 loss but missing the $0.23 estimate and remaining well below the $1.76 year-ago result. The FY2026 sales outlook was raised to $66.3 billion-$67.3 billion, but EPS guidance was reduced to $2.66-$2.76 because of Terns-related acquisition charges. The filing text provided does not include quantitative segment, balance-sheet, cash-flow, or current-quarter margin detail.
Reported figures
- Earnings per share
- $-0.13
What stood out
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Revenue grew sequentially and year over year
Second-quarter revenue was $16.607 billion, up approximately 1.9% from $16.29 billion in the first quarter and 5.0% from $15.81 billion in the year-ago quarter. Revenue also exceeded the $16.388 billion consensus estimate by approximately $219 million.
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EPS improved sequentially but missed consensus
Reported EPS was a loss of $0.13, an improvement from the prior quarter’s loss of $1.72 but sharply below $1.76 in the year-ago quarter and the $0.23 consensus estimate.
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FY2026 sales outlook was raised
Management raised and narrowed FY2026 sales expectations to $66.3 billion-$67.3 billion from $65.8 billion-$67.0 billion, indicating greater confidence in the revenue trajectory.
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Share repurchases continued
Merck repurchased 6,101,427 shares during the quarter at an average price of $116.55, with $5.736 billion remaining under the buyback authorization at June 30, 2026.
What to watch
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Terns charges materially reduced EPS outlook
Non-GAAP FY2026 EPS guidance was cut to $2.66-$2.76 from $5.04-$5.16, a reduction of $2.38-$2.40 per share, principally because of Terns-related acquisition charges.
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Margin volatility remains elevated
Gross margin declined to 66.2% in the immediately preceding quarter from 74.2% in the first quarter, while operating margin moved from negative 20.9% to 23.5%; the filing data indicate significant margin volatility associated with charges and mix.
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No material market-risk update disclosed
The company states that there were no material changes in market-risk exposures versus the 2025 Form 10-K, but cautions that actual results may differ materially from forward-looking statements because of known and unknown risks and uncertainties.
Management's outlook
The quantitative outlook was mixed: FY2026 sales guidance was raised and narrowed to $66.3 billion-$67.3 billion from $65.8 billion-$67.0 billion, while non-GAAP EPS guidance was lowered to $2.66-$2.76 from $5.04-$5.16, principally due to Terns-related acquisition charges. No additional quantitative outlook was identified in the 10-Q text provided.
Earlier filings 1
This is our reading of a public filing, not the filing itself. Analysis can contain errors; check the source document for full context.