While Merck (MRK) describes its animal health unit as a key growth driver and an important part of the company, it remains to be seen whether investors will continue to accept this as a reason for the business to remain within the company, Deutsche Bank analyst Gregg Gilbert tells investors in a research note. He believes the unit is potentially undervalued. Given Zoetis' (ZTS) success as a company and a stock, and Eli Lilly's (LLY) ongoing review of strategic options for its Elanco Animal Health business, Gilbert conducted a preliminary separation analysis of Merck's animal health unit. The analysis suggests that a separation could be meaningfully accretive to earnings. The analyst keeps a Hold rating on Merck.

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FY24 consensus $8.56. Raises FY24 revenue view to $63.1B-$64.3B from $62.7B-$64.2B, consensus $63.83B.

Reports Q1 revenue $15.8B, consensus $15.2B. "Merck has begun 2024 with continuing momentum in our business. We are harnessing the power of innovation to advance our deep pipeline and are maximizing the impact of our broad commercial portfolio for the benefit of patients," said Robert Davis, chairman and chief executive officer, Merck. "We drove strong growth across key therapeutic areas, executed strategic business development, and in the U.S., we are now launching WINREVAIR, a significant new product in the cardiometabolic space for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension, a progressive and debilitating disease. We have important opportunities ahead of us across all areas of our business, and we are highly focused on realizing them."

Notable companies reporting before tomorrow's open, with earnings consensus, include Merck (MRK), consensus $1.87... Caterpillar (CAT), consensus $5.14... Comcast (CMSCA), consensus 99c... Honeywell (HON), consensus $2.17... Bristol-Myers (BMY), consensus ($4.44)... Altria (MO), consensus $1.15... Keurig Dr. Pepper (KDP), consensus 35c... GE Vernova (GEV), consensus (37c)... Royal Caribbean (RCL), consensus $1.33... Tractor Supply (TSCO), consensus $1.72... Mobileye (MBLY), consensus (6c)... Textron (TXT), consensus $1.23... LabCorp (LH), consensus $3.48... Southwest Airlines (LUV), consensus (34c)... American Airlines (AAL), consensus (29c)... Harley-Davidson (HOG), consensus $1.51.