3 Bright Spots in Merck's Q3 Results

You only had to look at Merck's (NYSE: MRK) stock movement to know that the big drugmaker's third-quarter results weren't too great. Merck's share price dropped after the company reported a 2% year-over-year revenue decline. Wall Street analysts had expected around $10.55 billion in revenue for the third quarter, but Merck missed that target by over $200 million.

Despite the top-line disappointment, Merck still managed to beat earnings estimates, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.11 versus the consensus analysts' estimate of $1.03. That beat required help from accounting maneuvers, though, primarily from acquisition and divestiture-related costs. But there were three bright spots in Merck's third-quarter results that investors should note.

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Source: Fool.com