Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKKGY) Shares Gap Up on Earnings Beat

Merck KGaA (OTCMKTS:MKKGY) gapped up before the market opened on Thursday following a better than expected earnings announcement. The stock had previously closed at $26.90, but opened at $28.15. Merck KGaA shares last traded at $28.28, with a volume of 9,036 shares traded.

The company reported $0.81 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating analysts’ consensus estimates of $0.50 by $0.31. Merck KGaA had a net margin of 13.49% and a return on equity of 9.78%.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities analysts recently weighed in on the stock. Barclays cut shares of Merck KGaA from a “strong-buy” rating to a “hold” rating in a research note on Tuesday, August 19th. Zacks Research upgraded shares of Merck KGaA to a “hold” rating in a research note on Friday, August 8th. Two research analysts have rated the stock with a Hold rating, According to data from MarketBeat, Merck KGaA currently has a consensus rating of “Hold”.

Merck KGaA Trading Up 5.1%

The company has a market cap of $18.27 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.88, a PEG ratio of 3.23 and a beta of 0.96. The company has a quick ratio of 0.78, a current ratio of 1.24 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.22. The firm’s 50 day moving average is $26.25 and its two-hundred day moving average is $26.23.

Merck KGaA Company Profile

Merck KGaA operates as a science and technology company in Germany. It operates through Life Science, Healthcare, and Electronics segments. The company’s Life Science segment offers tools, chemicals, and equipment for academic labs, biotech, and pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as industrial sector.