Merck's Q2 Earnings: Can New Launches Offset Profitability Pressures?
Merck is set to report its second-quarter earnings on Tuesday, with investors eager to see if the pharmaceutical giant's new product launches can offset mounting profitability pressures.
The company is expected to post a loss of 29 cents per share on revenue of $16.4 billion for the quarter ended June 30, according to analysts surveyed by Investing.com Canada.
This would represent a sharp sequential improvement from the first quarter's $1.28-per-share loss, but still marks a negative result due to the company navigating a portfolio transition beyond blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda.
The commercial rollout of newly approved products will be closely watched, particularly Lipfendra, an oral PCSK9 inhibitor for lowering cholesterol that won FDA approval in July and is priced at $315 for a 30-day supply.