Before Wednesday’s opening bell, Merck (MRK ) reported higher fourth quarter profits and beat analysts’ expectations.
MRK's Earnings in Brief
- The company reported net income of $7.316 billion, or $2.54 per share, up from $781 million, or 26 cents per share, last year.
- Adjusted earnings fell to 87 cents per share from 88 cents per share in the year prior.
- Revenue declined to $10.482 billion from $11.319 billion last year.
- On average, analysts expected to see adjusted EPS of 86 cents and $10.50 billion in revenue.
MRK's Dividend
MRK paid its last 45 cent quarterly dividend on January 8. We expect the company to declare its next dividend in the coming weeks.
Stock Performance
Shares of MRK were down $1.00, or 1.64%, during pre-market trading Wednesday. YTD, the stock is up 7.45%.
The Bottom Line
Merck (MRK ) is not recommended at this time, holding a Dividend.com DARS™ Rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars.
Be sure to visit our complete recommended list of the Best Dividend Stocks, as well as a detailed explanation of our ratings system here.
