Merck(US:MRK) 智通财经网·2025-10-30 12:07Core Viewpoint - Merck & Co. (MRK.US) has lowered its revenue guidance for 2025, indicating challenges ahead as it prepares for the patent expiration of its key cancer drug, Keytruda [1][2] Financial Performance - The company adjusted its 2025 revenue guidance down by $300 million, now expecting sales between $64.5 billion and $65 billion [1] - Third-quarter revenue reached $17.3 billion, a 4% year-over-year increase, surpassing market expectations of $16.96 billion [2] - Net profit for the quarter was $5.79 billion (or $2.32 per share), up from $3.16 billion ($1.24 per share) in the same period last year [2] - Adjusted earnings per share were $2.58, exceeding the market forecast of $2.35 [2] - The company slightly raised its full-year earnings per share forecast to a maximum of $8.98 [2] Product Performance - Keytruda and the anticipated rare lung disease drug Winrevair did not meet sales expectations in the latest quarter [1] - Sales of the new pneumonia vaccine, Capvaxive, reached $244 million, exceeding Wall Street expectations [2] - The vaccine is positioned to compete directly with Pfizer's Prevnar, with Capvaxive showing an 80% efficacy against adult pathogens compared to Prevnar's 50% [2] - Sales of Gardasil, the second-largest product, declined by 24% to $1.7 billion, primarily due to decreased demand in China [3] Cost Management and R&D - R&D spending decreased by over $1.6 billion compared to the previous year, attributed to reduced business development costs [3] - The company announced a cost-cutting plan aiming to save $3 billion annually by 2027 through workforce reductions and real estate downsizing [2][3] Regulatory and Market Challenges - Merck is facing pricing pressures and competition from generics as Keytruda's patent is set to expire in 2028, with potential government-led price negotiations as early as 2027 [1] - The company has not disclosed whether it has reached a pricing agreement with the government, but it has prepared sufficient Keytruda stock to mitigate potential tariff impacts [4] - Merck plans to invest over $9 billion in U.S. manufacturing over the next four years to enhance domestic drug production capabilities [4]