Did MRK's Q4 2024 EPS meet long-term investor expectations?

**Merck's Q4 2024 EPS did not meet long-term investor expectations.** Here's a detailed analysis:

1. **Q4 2024 EPS Performance**:
- Merck's EPS for Q4 2024 was $1.48.
- This is lower than the EPS of $1.87 reported in Q3 2023.
- The EPS of $1.57 for Q3 2024 was also lower than the $1.87 of Q3 2023.

|code|Ticker|Name|Date|Diluted EPS YoY|Diluted EPS|market_code|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|MRK|MRK.N|Merck|2024 Q1|68.46846846846847|1.87|169|
|MRK|MRK.N|Merck|2024 Q2|191.06382978723403|2.14|169|
|MRK|MRK.N|Merck|2024 Q3|-33.333333333333336|1.24|169|
|MRK|MRK.N|Merck|2024 Q4|408.3333333333333|1.48|169|

2. **Comparison with Expectations**:
- Analysts had higher expectations, with a consensus EPS estimate of $1.74 for Q4 2024.
- This indicates that the company's performance fell short of investor expectations.
3. **Revenue and Profitability Analysis**:
- Total revenue for Q4 2024 was $16.7 billion, representing a 4.4% increase from Q3 2023.
- Net income decreased by 34% from Q3 2023, and the profit margin dropped to 19%.
- These figures suggest that while revenue increased, profitability declined, which could have impacted EPS.
4. **Specific Business Segment Performance**:
- Keytruda sales grew by 21% to $7.4 billion, driven by increased uptake in earlier-stage cancers.
- GARDASIL sales decreased by 10% to $2.3 billion, primarily due to reduced shipments to China.
- Animal Health sales grew by 11%, with significant contributions from Keytruda and other products.
5. **Future Outlook**:
- Revenue guidance for 2024 is $63.6 to $64.1 billion, representing a 6% to 7% growth.
- EPS guidance is $7.72 to $7.77, slightly above the Q4 2024 EPS of $1.48.
- The company's diversified pipeline and new product launches suggest potential for future growth.

In conclusion, Merck's Q4 2024 EPS did not meet long-term investor expectations, as evidenced by the lower EPS figure compared to previous quarters and higher analyst expectations. However, the company's strong revenue growth in key segments and future guidance suggest a positive outlook despite the current shortfall in EPS.