Merck earns $1.5 billion in fourth quarter

LONDON (MarketWatch)
Merck & Co. Inc. on Thursday said it swung to fourth-quarter profit of $1.5 billion, or 49 cents a share, against a $531 million loss in the year-ago period
Revenue increased 2% to $12.3 billion from $12.1 billion in the fourth quarter last year
Adjusted earnings excluding restructuring costs and acquisition-related costs were 97 cents, up 10% compared to last year
Analysts surveyed by FactSet Research expected earnings of 95 a share, on revenue of $12.5 billion.
The Whitehouse Station, N.J.-based drug maker said it expects full-year 2012 profit to come in between $2.04 and $2.30 a share.