Merck KGaA takes charge of Bavencio in steady first quarter

Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE) took in 5.3 billion euros ($5.8 billion) sales in the first quarter of 2023, a little short of many analysts’ expectations, a 1.8% increase from the same period of 2022.

With post-tax profits hitting 800 million euros, the earnings per share figure was 9.4% lower than in the first quarter of last year, at 1.83 euros.

Merck was propelled by a good performance in its healthcare division, which delivered significant increases in its business with new medicines.