Merck's First-Quarter Profit Falls 57%

SUGAR LAND--April 23, 2009--Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Merck & Company Incorporated (NYSE:MRK) (Whitehouse Station, New Jersey) has reported a first-quarter 2009 net income of $1.4 billion, down nearly 57% from $3.3 billion in the same period a year ago. The decline is attributed to softening demand and a decline in sales, which fell about 8% to $5.4 billion, as well as negative impacts from foreign currency exchange, the company said. As part of our International Industrial Database, Industrial Info is tracking nine active Merck projects worth $1.61 billion. The projects range from a $10 million build addition in the U.S. to a $390 million expansion project in Switzerland.

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