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Merck & Co., the second-largest U.S. drugmaker, reported quarterly profit that rose more than analysts estimated as reduced costs helped overcome lower-than-expected sales.
Earnings, excluding one-time items, were 86 cents a share, beating the 83-cent average estimate of 15 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Net income fell 52 percent to $752.4 million from acquisition-related costs, the Whitehouse Station, N.J.- based company said.
