Merck Announces Increased Quarterly Dividend
November 24, 2015 12:35 pm ET
Merck (NYSE: MRK), known as MSD outside the United States and Canada,
today announced that the Board of Directors has increased the company’s
quarterly dividend to $0.46 per outstanding share of the company’s
common stock, up $0.01 from $0.45 per outstanding share paid last
quarter. Payment will be made on Jan. 8, 2016, to stockholders of record
at the close of business on Dec. 15, 2015.
“We continue to make scientific progress in some of the world’s most
challenging areas of unmet medical need,” said Kenneth C. Frazier,
chairman and chief executive officer, Merck. “The increase in our
dividend reflects confidence in our future and our ongoing commitment to
creating value for shareholders.”
Merck last announced a dividend increase in November 2014, when the
Board raised the dividend from $0.44 to $0.45 per common share.
About Merck
Today’s Merck is a global health care leader working to help the world
be well. Merck is known as MSD outside the United States and Canada.
Through our prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies and
animal health products, we work with customers and operate in more than
140 countries to deliver innovative health solutions. We also
demonstrate our commitment to increasing access to health care through
far-reaching policies, programs and partnerships. For more information,
visit www.merck.com
and connect with us on Twitter,
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Forward-Looking Statement of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA
This news release of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, N.J., USA (the
“company”) includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of
the safe harbor provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based upon the current beliefs
and expectations of the company’s management and are subject to
significant risks and uncertainties. There can be no guarantees with
respect to pipeline products that the products will receive the
necessary regulatory approvals or that they will prove to be
commercially successful. If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or
risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results may differ materially
from those set forth in the forward-looking statements.
Risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to, general industry
conditions and competition; general economic factors, including interest
rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; the impact of
pharmaceutical industry regulation and health care legislation in the
United States and internationally; global trends toward health care cost
containment; technological advances, new products and patents attained
by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development,
including obtaining regulatory approval; the company’s ability to
accurately predict future market conditions; manufacturing difficulties
or delays; financial instability of international economies and
sovereign risk; dependence on the effectiveness of the company’s patents
and other protections for innovative products; and the exposure to
litigation, including patent litigation, and/or regulatory actions.
The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update any
forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise. Additional factors that could cause results
to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking
statements can be found in the company’s 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K
and the company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC) available at the SEC’s Internet site (www.sec.gov).
Merck
Media:
Lainie Keller, 908-236-5036
or
Investors:
Teri Loxam, 908-740-1986
Justin Holko, 908-740-1879
