Investing.com - U.S. pharmaceutical giant Merck reported better-than-expected first quarter earnings ahead of Tuesday’s opening bell, sending its shares higher in pre-market trade.
Merck said adjusted earnings came in at $0.88 per share in the three months ended March 31, beating expectations for earnings of $0.79 per share.
The firm’s first quarter revenue totaled $10.3 billion, missing estimates for revenue of $10.44 billion.
The pharmaceutical company reaffirmed its 2014 revenue forecast and said it expected full-year earnings per share in a range between $3.35 to $3.53.
Following the release of the report, Merck (NYSE:MRK) saw shares rise 3.2% in pre-market trade.
Meanwhile, the outlook for U.S. equity markets was higher. The Dow indicated a gain of 0.4% at the open, S&P 500 futures pointed to an increase of 0.45%, while Nasdaq 100 added 0.55%.