Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany: Strong 2nd Quarter, Guidance raised

Disclosure of inside information pursuant to Article 17 of Regulation (EU) No 596/2014

Darmstadt, Germany, July 26, 2024 – Based on a very strong second quarter of 2024 with net sales of EUR 5.352 bn resulting in an EBITDA pre1 of EUR 1.509 bn and an EPS pre1 of EUR 2.20, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, (the "Company") has raised its guidance for the entire group for fiscal 2024.  The main driver is a very strong operating performance of Healthcare and Electronics compared to consensus. The performance of Life Science is within expectations. The strong operating performance of Healthcare more than offset the provision equal to a mid-double-digit million euro amount associated with xevinapant. The Company now projects net sales of approx. EUR 20.7 - 22.1 bn (previously EUR 20.6 – 22.1 bn). EBITDA pre1 is anticipated to grow to approx. EUR 5.8 – 6.4 bn for the Group (previously "EUR 5.7 – 6.3 bn"). EPS pre1 is projected to amount to approx. EUR 8.20 – 9.30 (previously "EUR 8.05 – 9.10"). The Company will publish Q2 / 2024 figures as scheduled on 1 August 2024.

_{1 EBITDA pre and EPS pre are alternative performance measures not defined by international accounting standards, used by the Company to improve the comparability of business performance over time and within the industry. EBITDA pre means earnings before interest, income tax, depreciation and amortization as well as adjustments (Ergebnis vor Zinsen, Ertragsteuern, Abschreibungen und Anpassungen). EPS pre means profit after tax including adjustments per theoretical shares outstanding (see Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, Annual Report 2023).}