Having completed the first quarter of 2010, Merck is able to refine the guidance for 2010 that it gave in February. The main changes are an improvement in the expectations for the Group operating result and for the total revenues and operating result of the Liquid Crystals division.
The guidance for 2010 is now as follows:
- Merck Group:
total revenues for the year 2010 should increase in a range of +3% to +7% from EUR 7,747 million in 2009. The Group operating result of EUR 649 million in 2009 will increase by between +30% and +40% (from between +20% and +30% in February). Core operating result (operating result excluding amortization of intangible assets from Serono) is expected to increase by +5% to +15% (from +3% to +13% in February) from the 2009 level of EUR 1,296 million. - Total revenues by division:
Merck Serono +2% to +5%, Consumer Health Care +5% to +10%, Liquid Crystals +15 to +20% (from +5% to +10% in February) and Performance & Life Science Chemicals +3% to +8%. - Operating result by division:
Merck Serono +30% to +40% (Core operating result: 0 to +10%), Consumer Health Care –10% to 0, Liquid Crystals +60% to +70% (from +15% to +25% in February) and Performance & Life Science Chemicals +15% to +20%.