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TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - Merck & Co. reported Tuesday that fourth-quarter profit plunged 58 percent despite higher revenues as the drugmaker took a slew of charges for restructuring costs, an acquisition and increased legal reserves, mainly for its withdrawn painkiller Vioxx.
Merck, the maker of osteoporosis treatment Fosamax and Singulair for asthma and allergies, reported net income of $473.9 million, or 22 cents per share, down from $1.12 billion, or 51 cents per share, in the last quarter of 2005.
Excluding charges of 7 cents per share for its ongoing global restructuring program and 21 cents per share for the acquisition of Sirna Therapeutics, Merck would have posted earnings per share of 50 cents, matching the consensus forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial.
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