Merck Is Paying $17 Billion For A Company Most People Have Never Heard Of - Here's What It Does

Sigma-Aldrich is a chemical behemoth, and it manufacturers over 50,000 products.

Its customers know it for its various brands.

It has nearly 10,000 employees and its products are primarily used for research.

The company has many different kinds of clients, mostly schools and governments.

Merck said the acquisition will expand its global reach, especially in fast-growing Asian markets.

It's crushing the competition in using the internet to promote and sell its products.

It's quickly expanding its share of the market for in vitro diagnostics or IVDs, used to detect diseases.

Like most companies, Sigma-Aldrich's business has struggled in Europe.

Still, its sales and diluted EPS broke new records last quarter.

It recently raised its adjusted diluted EPS guidance to between $4.32 and $4.40.

Merck Is Paying $17 Billion For A Company Most People Have Never Heard Of - Here's What It Does

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