Merck Boosts Sales Outlook on Strength of Newer Drugs

Merck & Co., a pharmaceutical giant, has raised its sales forecast for 2026 after strong demand for newer drugs propelled revenue higher in the second quarter.

The company now expects to rake in between $66.3 billion and $67.3 billion this year, surpassing its earlier estimate of topping out at $67 billion.

However, Merck has tempered this optimism by lowering its profit forecast due to charges related to its acquisition of leukemia drug developer Terns Pharmaceuticals Inc.

The adjusted profit for the year is now expected to fall between $2.66 and $2.76 per share, below the average analyst estimate in a Bloomberg survey.