Merck KGaA posts 58% rise in Q4 operating profit

18 January 2007 08:07  [Source: ICIS news]

SINGAPORE (ICIS news)--Merck posted a 58% year-on-year rise in fourth quarter operating profit due strong sales by its ethicals, generics and liquid crystals divisions, the German chemicals giant said on Thursday.

It generated €303.3m ($393.9m) in its operating profit for the quarter ending 31 December, compared with €191.7m during the same quarter in 2005.

The company posted total sales of €1.6bn for its fourth quarter, a 9% increase over the same quarter in the previous year.

Fourth quarter net profit was €129.5m, an 18.2% rise year-on-year, it said.

Its full year operating profit was €1.1bn, representing a 25.1% increase over 2005.

Its chemicals business sector’s full-year operating profit rose 30% to €641m, while full-year sales rose 11% to €2.1bn.

The company’s performance and life science chemicals division saw full-year sales rising 4.5% to €1.2m and operating profit up by 6.4% to €155m.

As the numbers posted were preliminary figures, it was too soon to offer an outlook for 2007, Merck said.

($1 = €0.77)

By: Jeanne Lim
+65 6780 4359

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