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Merck News Release Your Contacts Media Relations andreas.cezanne@merckgroup.com Phone : +49 151 1454 2702 Investor Relations investor.relations@merckgroup.com Phone : +49 6151 72-3321 May 12 , 2021 First Quarter of 2021 : Great Strength in Challenging Market Environment Results of Q1 2021 • • Group sales rise by 6.0 % over the year - earlier quarter to € 4.6 billion ; EBITDA pre up 27.9 % to € 1.5 billion , earnings per share pre soar 45.3 % to € 2.18 Organic sales growth of 12.2 % driven by all three business sectors , especially Life Science • Net financial debt decreases to € 10.1 billion Outlook for fiscal 2021 • Company raises forecast for sales and EBITDA pre • Net sales of between € 18.5 billion and € 19.5 billion expected ; forecast for EBITDA pre between € 5.4 billion and € 5.8 billion ; EPS pre between € 7.50 and € 8.20 - Darmstadt , Germany , May 12 , 2021 Merck , a leading science and technology company , achieved strong business results in the first quarter . Group sales increased by 6.0 % to € 4.6 billion compared with the year - earlier quarter – mainly thanks to the high organic growth of the Life Science business sector . Group EBITDA pre , the company's most important financial indicator used to steer operating business , soared by 27.9 % to € 1.5 billion in comparison with the year - earlier quarter . As already communicated on May 4 , 2021 , the company is raising its M Frankfurter Strasse 250 64293 Darmstadt Germany Hotline +49 6151 72-5000 www.merckgroup.com Page 1 of 8 Head of Corporate Media Relations : +49 151 1454 2702 Spokespersons : +49 6151 72 -9591 / -45946 / -55707